The 92nd annual Academy Awards aired live from Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre Sunday night (February 9).
Opting to go hostless yet again, the ceremony may primarily honor the film industry’s best offerings over the past year, but – as the awards’ 2020 edition proved – its dedication to saluting the music found aboard those same celebrated movies endures.
To emphasize that point, chart champions Eminem, Billie Eilish, Cynthia Erivo, Elton John, Janelle Monae, and more were on hand to render live performances.
The stars shine for entertainment’s biggest calendar night – the 92nd Annual Grammy Awards! Live from Los Angeles’ Hollywood & Highland Center, join That Grape Juice‘s peek at the industry’s biggest names just moments after they arrive to the scene.
See and sound off on Oscar fashion hits and misses below.
From The Vault journeys back to 2001, a year in which newcomer Blu Cantrell was released her debut single ‘Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops).’ The tune is today’s pick.
Produced and penned by Dallas Austin, ‘Style’ took the then-trend of male bashing anthems to a whole other level.
An instructional manual of sorts, it unpacked a narrative about how ladies should take revenge on cheating baes by making them pay for the damage they’ve done – via the selling of their possessions and emptying their bank accounts.
It was Blu’s biggest hit in the US, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide, it reached the 12th position in the UK, got to #7 in Canada and #3 in Australia. Additionally, ‘Style’ was nominated for the GRAMMY for Best R&B song in 2002. Not too bad for a debut single.
In the track’s accompanying video, Cantrell’s motive seems to be “shop ‘til you drop.” Indeed, she hits the shopping mall and organizes a yard sale in a bid to squander her trifling boyfriend’s fortune after he did her wrong. When a woman’s fed up, ay.
Almost two decades later, this song is still a genre favorite and rightfully so. With its timeless production and engaging storytelling, it’s an R&B gem that could be released today and still enjoy a successful moment.
Except for monumental worldwide hit ‘Breathe’ two years later, Blu was never really able to return to that level of success and recognition, at least not on home-soil. Anyhow, she delivered a classic for the ages that will surely continue to stand the test of time.
Rihanna‘s ninth studio album is proving to be quite the enigma.
Shroud in secrecy, production on the project has been a tight-lipped affair – much to the frustration of fans, who’ve not received a full length LP from the star since 2016’s ‘ANTI.’
Promises of a 2019 arrival came and went undelivered and those hoping for a drop this year, may still have some wait time on their hands.
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As reported, Alicia Keys is in the UK strutting the promotional streets.
And while single ‘Underdog’ has been the focus of her efforts, she also reminded of her versatility by performing a known number and covering a cut from breakout star Billie Eilish on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.
The 15-time Grammy winner performed ‘Try Sleeping With A Broken’ heart from 2009’s ‘The Element Of Freedom,’ as well as a unique take on Eilish’s ‘Everything I Wanted.’
She also offered up a live rendition of recent promo track ‘Time Machine’ – which, alongside ‘Underdog,’ is lifted from forthcoming album ‘Alicia’ (due March 20th).
Ashanti is nearing two decades in the game and has lost none of her lustre.
Demand for the the R&B songbird continues to ring strong, case in point her current UK tour.
Blazing its way through cities such as London, Leeds, Manchester, and Birmingham (where it culminates tonight), the trek has seen the first lady of the INC rock out to bops such as ‘Baby,’ ‘Foolish,’ and ‘Happy.’
The 39-year-old, who was supported by Mario and Ginuwine, also performed new jam‘Pretty Little Thing’ and as well as a tribute to the songs she’d penned for Jennifer Lopez (…)
With much of the concerts sold-out months before, the UK dates precede Ashanti’s hotly anticipated stint on ‘The Millennium Tour.’
Before then, peep more pics from her London show below…
With his new album, ‘Changes,’ due February 14, expect to see much of Justin Bieber on the promo trail in support of the LP in the coming days.
In addition to his Youtube docu-series and music videos for its first singles, ‘Yummy’ and the Quavo-assisted ‘Intentions,’ the 25-year-old’s building awareness for the project via the live performance circuit.
Already the first announced performer for the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards (March 29), Bieber took to this weekend’s RuPaul-hosted ‘SNL’ to give his faithful fans – affectionately called #Beliebers – a taste of what they’ll be seeing at the awards ceremony and on his forthcoming ‘Changes’ tour (click here to see dates).
Offering the first televised performance of some of the album’s content, look inside to see how he fared.
Although officially released January 27, ‘The Man’ – the newest single from Taylor Swift‘s latest Platinum-selling LP ‘Lover’ – has been dwarfed by promotion of her critically acclaimed Netflix documentary, ‘Miss Americana’ (click here to watch its trailer), and the single lifted from the special, ‘Only the Young’ (click here to listen).
And, while the tell-all look at the diva’s life and political views has proven itself lucrative for her overall discography (click here to read more on that), Swift’s team is looking to return the focus to fruit from her current era by unveiling the lyric video for the anthemic ‘Man.’
As of time reported, the song’s managed to climb to the #23 position on the Hot 100. Could its lyric video help hoist it to the top 10 glory its predecessors ‘Me!,’ ‘You Need to Calm Down,’ and ‘Lover’ (the song) enjoyed last year?
After serving tastes of its content via singles from Megan Thee Stallion & Normani, Doja Cat, and Saweetie & GALXARA, the latest lift from the lady-loaded soundtrack comes courtesy of R&B newcomer Summer Walker.
Layering her sensual vocals on the Barry White remake, ‘I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby,’ Walker sings:
“I’m gonna love you, love you, love you / Just a little more, baby / I’m gonna need you, need you, need you / Every day, yeah / I’m gonna want you, want you, want you / In every way, yeah,” she coos on the chorus.
Barry’s 1973 edition of the soulful tune soared to No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 3 on Billboard’s Pop chart. Listen inside and tell us if Walker’s rendition could mirror its predecessor’s success:
Just two weeks after getting fans comfortable with her inspirational single, ‘Sometimes’ (click here to listen), singer-songwriter H.E.R. introduces ‘Comfortable’ – the newest release from Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield‘s forthcoming feature film ‘The Photograph’ (click here to watch the trailer).
“Lay your head on my pillow / Touching’s makin’ me feel a way / When I get around you, I lose it / ‘Cause I feel so comfortable with you,” the Grammy winner coos on the relaxing track.
Look inside to hear the DJ Camper-produced gem inside:
On the eve of what could be her inaugural Academy Award win for the stunning portrayal of civil rights pioneer Harriet Tubman, Emmy/Tony/Grammy winner Cynthia Erivo‘s building buzz for assuming the role of another pivotal figure in Black History: Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
Ahead of the late 2020 premiere of the musical monarch’s biographical feature film starring Academy and Grammy award-winner Jennifer Hudson (click here to see the teaser), National Geographic announced ‘Genius: Aretha’ – an eight-part series dedicated to the late musical icon.
Premiering over four consecutive nights beginning Memorial Day 2020, the anthology installment comes as the first-ever authorized limited series about the diva. According to NG it will “explore Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career — and the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world.”
With secured music rights to the legend’s catalog, the flick will see Erivo flex her acting and musical muscles in ways viewers have yet to see. Look inside for a glimpse of what’s to come:
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