Solange has always marched to beat of her own drum and she’s continuing with the push for new album ‘A Seat At The Table.’

Unwrapped last October, the set became the songbird’s first chart topper and earned a Grammy this Spring.

Renown for her abilities both on record and on stage, many have been awaiting  tour dates from the 30-year-old.

They may be waiting a while, though. Because the singer has cultivated a less traditional means of plugging the project.

Speaking to Complex, Solo revealed:

“No, there’s no tour in the works—Right now I have two different shows. I have one that is more a performance piece show that is being performed in museums—and more in the art context. And then I have festival shows. As of now, I’ve not scheduled a proper tour in the more traditional sense.”

The soul maestra’s museum dates include San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art and New York’s Guggenheim Museum as part of Red Bull Music Academy’s month-long installation. [Source]

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Much respect to Ms. Knowles for consistently doing “her.”

It’s clear a lot of thought goes into her sound, aesthetic, and positioning. But it never feels contrived or convoluted.

Click here to see when Solange is heading to a state (or museum) near you.

Your thoughts?

Dionne Warwick is the latest diva to find herself on the receiving end of an Aretha Franklin diss.

Today, Aretha sent a lengthy fax to members of the press berating Dionne for starting a rumour about her.

What it was?

That she was Whitney Houston’s godmother.

Aretha believes that at Houston’s funeral in 2012 Dionne intentionally drew attention to the fact Franklin wasn’t in attendance without being sure that she was during the speech she shared to honour the star’s short life.

‘Ree’s not here, but she is here. She loves Whitney as if she were born to her. She is her godmother.

The Associated Press explains:

At the time, Franklin said she was suffering from swollen feet and had to skip the funeral so she could perform later that night at Radio City Music Hall in New York, which she said she was contractually obligated to do.

Five years after Dionne made the comment and Whitney’s mother Cissy revealed that Aretha wasn’t Whitney’s godmother, the ‘Respect’ performer has decided to “clap back” and argue that Dionne knew it wasn’t true “because I was far too busy to be anyone’s godmother”.

There’s been so much going on around her (Houston), around the service, around the drugs, around her and Bobby (Brown) supposed to be fighting, I didn’t want to add anything to that and I didn’t want to be a part of that.

Why now?

Well, Aretha revealed that she and Dionne bumped into each other at the Tribeca Film Festival’s premiere of mentor Clive Davis’ documentary, “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives”. Dionne, who had no idea Aretha was upset with her, attempted to hug her.

Aretha’s response?

She said, ‘Give me a hug.’ I said, ‘Oh hell no. You couldn’t be serious.’ I don’t care about her apology, at this point it isn’t about an apology, it’s about libel.

She added:

We’ve never been friends and I don’t think that Dionne has ever liked me.

Dionne learned of Aretha’s diss this morning and had her publicist issue the following statement:

She will not dignify a response to the statement made by Aretha Franklin.

The pair’s tumultuous relationship inspired the YouTube series ‘Got 2 Be Real’.

Watch here.

Your thoughts?

Mary J. Blige summons the ‘Strength Of A Woman’ on her 13th studio album of the same name.

Due in stores this Friday (April 28th), the set sees the soon-to-be-divorced R&B star bare her soul as she works through life’s hardships.

Getting her promo on ahead of the LP’s arrival, MJB stopped by the Ellen show today to perform the project’s lead single ‘Thick Of It.’

Watch the emotion-soaked showing below…

Great showing.

We’ve loved this song since it dropped, hence we’re hopeful it gets a second run of momentum during the project’s push.

Your thoughts?

Janet Jackson has been laying relatively low in recent weeks following news of her split from husband Wissam Al Mana.

The pair have, however, been seen out and about with their adorable newborn son Eissa.

Now, Janet has been spotted letting her hair down in London at Bruno Mars‘ ’24k Magic World Tour.’

Accompanied by brother Randy Jackson, the 50-year-old superstar appeared to be having a blast at the widely praised show.

Historically, Bruno and Janet have been very complimentary to one another. She’s consistently cited him as a favorite of hers from the “new skool,” while he continually professes his love for her.

Indeed, Mr Mars took to Twitter to publicly send love to the youngest of the Jackson clan when illness forced her to postpone her ‘Unbreakable World Tour.’

Sending a prayer out to one of the best to ever do it! Get well soon @JanetJackson We love you.

— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) December 24, 2015

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Are we the only ones salivating for a collaboration?

Bruno’s sound is very reminiscent of early Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – two of the most instrumental figures in Janet’s career.

Beyond that, he has a proven ability to produce greatness for other artists such as Adele.

With the world watching and waiting Janet’s next musical move, we’d love if she and Bruno cooked up something epic. Preferably uptempo.

Who knows, maybe that’s already on the cards.

Anyway, enough from us. What are…

Your thoughts?

Following Fox‘s decision to slice its ties to the alleged sexual predator Bill O’Reilly, Sony Music Entertainment appears to have followed suit after it revealed that it has removed Dr. Luke from his position as CEO of one of its subsidiaries.

In 2011, Sony and Luke built Kermasobe Records to house acts the producer sought to sell to the masses.

Unfortunately for him, allegations that he drugged, raped and abused his artist Kesha stand at the heart of the label’s decision to give him the boot.

The reputable ‘Hollywood Reporter’ explains:

Now, Dr. Luke’s relationship with Sony is under a microscope, and according to one source, the two sides are in the midst of negotiating a split. Another insider pushes back on the notion of a divorce. But according to court papers, he is no longer the CEO of Kemosabe Records and the company asserts he no longer has authority to act on its behalf. A page devoted to Dr. Luke on Sony Music’s website has also been taken down.

Your thoughts?

In 2o16, Rihanna unlocked her latest studio album ‘ANTI’ and, to thank fans for their patience, armed with it artwork and material she hoped would see her soar to higher creative ground.

Today, never-before-seen snaps from the shoot behind said artwork have surfaced online!

#ANTI #Rihanna

A post shared by Rihanna (@rfentyupdates) on Apr 25, 2017 at 12:10pm PDT

#ANTI #Rihanna

A post shared by Rihanna (@rfentyupdates) on Apr 25, 2017 at 12:12pm PDT

The shots hit the net minutes ago and arrive after the performer (who has made a beeline for Hollywood glory) was linked to a role in the next chapter of ‘The Matrix’.

She is yet to confirm or deny claims she is to star in it alongside Michael B. Jordan.

Click here to learn more.

What do you think of the snaps?

All of this winning. 

Beyonce has made slayage look like child’s play over the course of her 20 year career, and the touchdowns show no sign of slowing.

Less than one week after being honored with the prestigious Peabody Award, Bey’s ‘Lemonade’ has been unveiled as the top selling album worldwide in 2016.

The revelation was made in the Global Music Report, which is compiled by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). 

Mrs Carter, along with acts such as Adele and Drake, are credited with helping grow the global music business in a major way. For, 2016 registered revenue growth of 5.9% over the previous year.

The figure marks the biggest revenue growth since the IFPI began tracking the market in 1997. It’s also the second-straight year of growth after 15 years of decline.

So, how do 2016’s releases stack up comparatively? Check out the full list…

Top-Selling Albums Globally of 2016, According to the IFPI (Physical & Digital Sales Only)

1. Beyoncé, Lemonade (2.5 million)
2. Adele, 25 (2.4 million)
3. Drake, Views (2.3 million)
4. Metallica, Hardwired…to Self-Destruct (2.1 million)
5. David Bowie, Blackstar (1.9 million)
6. The Rolling Stones, Blue & Lonesome (1.8 million)
7. Bruno Mars, 24k Magic (1.7 million)
8. Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface (1.5 million)
9. Coldplay, A Head Full of Dreams (1.4 million)
10. Pentatonix, A Pentatonix Christmas (1.4 million)

[Source]

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All hail the Queen, so on and so forth.

It does make for a stunning sight to see how comparatively small global numbers are in 2017 compared to years of past. A lot of these figures would have been US totals once upon a time.

But ay, we’re in the streaming age. So, if anything, the numbers should be applauded in earnest.

Your thoughts?

All roads lead to April 28th for the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul Mary J. Blige.

The enduring diva will release her latest album ‘Strength Of A Woman’ and, given the current climate surrounding her personal life, will have the world’s eyes and ears on ready.

To plug the project, MJB has teamed up with VH1 who’ll be airing a special documenting the making of the LP on May 2nd.

In a video announcement, the star offered fans a sneak peek of what they can expect from from the telecast.

Watch below…

We’ll be tuned in.

Mary’s music has been on point thus far this era, as such it’ll be cool to see how it was pieced together.

Here’s hoping this VH1 doc is the start of an aggressive push. Because sans radio run, she appears to be saving the heavy duty promo for the album’s arrival, which at this stage of her career, may to be the smartest play (rather than trying to bag a hit single).

She has the good will of the people in light of her oh so public divorce, so she’d be wise to capitalize on it.

Your thoughts?

Beyonce‘s ‘Formation’ has matured into more than a single and tour. It’s now a movement.

Queen Bey solidified this reality today when announcing the creation of the Formation Scholars program.

The scheme, launched as part of the 1 year anniversary celebration of the ‘Lemonade’ album, is for the 2017-2018 academic year and is aimed at encouraging female students to fearlessly pursue greatness by way of education.

In partnership with notable colleges such as Berklee and Howard, Bey’s foundation will offer scholarships (one per institution) to female students looking to study creative arts, music, literature, or African-American studies.

See details below…

This is major.

Kudos to Beyonce for always striving beyond the celebrity norm to use her platform for powerful and purpose-filled initiatives like this.

She slays. All day.

Your thoughts?

Is Katy Perry baking a delicious new a single?  If current speculation proves true, then she may very well be.

The Pop force sent fans into a frenzy today when she posted the following cherry pie recipe on social media.

At first glance, it appears to be exactly what it’s billed as “Katy Perry’s World’s Best Cherry Pie” baking recipe.

However, as Billboard points out, some lines read like song lyrics. For example:

“Please just take your time/ This pie is gonna hit that sweet tooth, boy/ Calm those hungry eyes/ Bon Appétit, baby!”

The ‘Bon Appétit’ part struck a chord with fans who noted she posted a snippet of a new song named that last month:

The elaborate roll-out wouldn’t be the first of its kind for Perry, who launched preceding single ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ with hidden disco balls in numerous cities across the globe. Fans who located them were able to plug in headphones to hear a snippet.

Sadly, that didn’t stop the song from experiencing a relatively disappointing chart and streaming run.

Will this time be different?

It seems as though we’ll find out soon, as it’s highly unlikely Perry would post this if something wasn’t about to be served up.

Your thoughts?

Janet Jackson made the world collectively “awww” when she unveiled the first pictures of three-month son Eissa Al Mana recently.

Shortly after, more snaps of the adorable youngster hit the press when he was spotted out and about with his father – Jackson’s soon to be ex – Wissam Al Mana.

And now there’s more.

The billionaire businessman was snapped bonding with the youngster in a London park. Peep the adorable pics below…

A post shared by Janet Jackson Fanpage (@x.janetjackson) on Apr 24, 2017 at 1:49pm PDT

A post shared by Cheekywiki.com ?? (@theofficialcheekywiki_) on Apr 24, 2017 at 2:05pm PDT

The sighting comes in the wake of news that Janet is gearing up to hit the road again.

Your thoughts?

Kendrick Lamar has the masses saying ‘DAMN’ for more reasons than one this week.

The Hip-Hop force earned the year’s highest album sales debut with the LP and now has cause for celebration with its latest single ‘HUMBLE.’

For, in climbing #3-#1 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, the track has become K. Dot’s second song to reach the top of the tally. Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood (Remix)’ being the first.

In doing so, it uproots Ed Sheeran’s monster smash ‘Shape Of You’ – which logged 12 non-consecutive weeks at #1.

So how did Lamar pull off the feat?

‘HUMBLE.’ increased a colossal 56% in streaming to amass a US one week total of 67.4 million Stateside streams. It also wracked up 56,000 US downloads.

Elsewhere on the chart, the TDE star earned the week’s highest new entry with fellow ‘DAMN’ track ‘DNA’ (#4).

We’re still getting our life to the ‘HUMBLE.’ video. Watch the Dave Myers production below…

Your thoughts?