#blake shelton interview

[usbulletinz]

"The Voice": Blake Shelton pronounces vocalist leader after "strong" Olivia Newton-John's cover

The forces to be reckoned with of Group Legend were brought into the world for an ideal time on "The Voice."

Artists Omar Jose Cardona and Kim Cruse made mentor John Legend pleased during the first round of live exhibitions Monday night with their hazardous magnetism and vocal trapeze artistry.

Cardona started off the live shows with a jolting presentation of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Request."

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[wherewhereare]

[shakebelton]

possibly the funniest thing about blake shelton is that you can't tell by his behavior alone if he hates something, like he's just so good at bullshit. i mean i don't know why i'm surprised, everyone hates doing press... but i feel like easily 50% of both the red carpet stuff and the sit down interviews were a shevine goldmine and he spent years trying to make it go away / minimize it? please 😂

[elisysd]

3. Wonder why you took a risk on a broken heart you cannot fix

Masterlist - Previously - Next

Chapter soundtrack: Purple Irises - Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton 

Another DNF. On a track he loved and had witnessed him achieving great performances. But now, being out after not even a corner, it was painful. He knew he couldn’t have done anything to avoid it but still, it was a bitter feeling. And a feeling that didn’t go away when he saw you waiting for him, your mic ready. He hadn’t talked to you ever since that day at the restaurant, didn’t ask for your number, didn’t ask for your social media, didn’t ask for anything and a part of him regretted it. Kind of. He had promised to show you not everyone was untrustworthy but didn’t even think to ask for a means to contact you. He knew it was stupid but he hated empty promises. He was man of his word and to think he could let you down like everybody else was unsettling for him. 

He moved to you, Silvia by his side and gulped, bracing himself for a petty question that surprisingly didn’t come through.

“A very sad day for you Charles, can you tell us what happened with Lance?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t been able to watch the images yet but I guess he thought he had space and clearly, it was not the case.”

“Two DNF in three races, it’s not the start of the season you hoped it would be. What are your plans for now?”

“See what went wrong and try to learn from it with the team. That’s the best we can do and we will come back stronger next time.”

“Thank you Charles.”

As she was cutting her microphone he saw you looking at him.

“I’m sorry about the race. Truly.”

“No teasing this time?” he asked, surprised.

“I’m not a heartless monster.” you replied as Silvia pushed him to go talk to other media.

The meeting with her team went nice. They talked a bit about race, debriefing each other's interventions of the day and looked at what they should have done better. You were happy when Marion told you that you had improved, your questions sharper and more precise, and happy, you had decided to wander the paddock in search of new information or to meet interesting new people. That is something you’ve always liked to do, hanging out somewhere to get the atmosphere and to have conversations with people who could provide you with new enlightenments about contracts, performances or any changes inside the teams. You had learned it while being in New-York, during one of your internships while you were covering  basketball games where your boss had told you to let your ears wander. A few words that you were clinging onto. Near the Mercedes hospitality, you had not expected to run into Mick who was coming out of it, a bottle of water in his hands. Out of habits you smiled at him, giving him a little nod which he took as an invitation to talk to you.

“Hey! I saw you around, right? The new interviewer for French TV?”

“That should be me, yes. Y/N, nice to meet you.” you greet him.

You found it surprisingly easy to talk to Mick. The discussion flowed, laughter could be heard from the other side of the paddock and soon the sun was setting. He was friendly, caring, and offered her to sit somewhere so they didn’t have to stand in the middle of the way.

“You know, I’m going to a bowling place tonight with some friends. Do you want to tag along?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s very professional of me.” 

“No pressure, of course. The offer stands but we all need to let go from time to time.” he added, winking at you before leaving.

You spent another half an hour debating with yourself on whether or not you should go. You could use some friends for sure, and Mick is not a bad guy, you know it.  He doesn’t have any hidden agenda behind his kindness, he just genuinely wants to get to know you and be your friend. And you saw how some journalists are buddy-buddy with the drivers, including in your own team. So why couldn’t you? You took a deep breath and decided that for once, you would have fun. And it had been a while since you had gone to a bowling area. You quickly went back to your hotel room to change into more comfortable clothes and you met Mick there. You recognised Esteban there as well and you were not surprised, you knew the two drivers were closed. 

You had fun. More fun than what you expected coming here. You sucked at bowling but it didn’t stop you from laughing. You also enjoyed Esteban’s calm confidence and how laid back he was. You told him you felt sorry about his crash with Pierre, Alpine could have realized something amazing out there.

“I know, I’m gutted. It’s not the start of the season we hoped it would be, for sure. But the season is long, so we have time to improve.”

“I’m sure it will keep on being better, Esteban. Trust your team.” Mick said, coming to them, a grin on his face. He sat down next to you before turning his head in your direction. “I’m glad you decided to come. I wasn’t sure you would.”

“I’m happy I did, it’s been a while since I’ve felt this relaxed.” you confessed. “I don’t have many friends, I’m not good at making connections.”

“Well you have us, now.” Mick shrugged.

“Aren’t you afraid that I’ll betray you?”

“Do you intend to?”

“No.” you admitted after a few seconds.

“Then it’s all good.” he smiled.

“You trust people easily, you know. A little too easily.”

“A few years ago, I wasn’t like that. I was doubting everyone and everything. I thought people only wanted to be around me because of my dad and not because of me. And then I decided to stop caring because usually those people end up leaving at the first obstacle. It’s better to give people a chance than being closed off. My friends are basically my second family, my home away from home. I’m a family guy, it’s tough for me to be away from them, so that’s why my friends are so important.”

“I’m not that close to my family.” you confessed and your heart wrenched at the thought.

“Because of your job?”

“That and I made a few mistakes in the past that really altered our relationship. And a lot of regrets, mostly about my brother. When you’re halfway across the world, it’s tough to be there when he needs you most. I should have been there for him.”

“It’s never too late to fix things.”

You gave him a sad smile and a shrug. You don’t want to bother him with your complicated family’s stories. And frankly, you don’t want to think about them.

“I understand you know, the regrets. I have so many when I think about my dad. I’ve never told him I loved him enough,  I should have told him everyday. I even regret things that are so far ahead in the future, like my wedding, my first kid… I often think about how he won’t be completely there to see all of that.” he bitterly said. 

“At least he is there. Even if it’s not how you want it.”

“I guess.”

When you ended up leaving, after this very heartfelt conversation, you felt somehow relieved. Maybe he was right, you didn’t have to assume the worst about people. You took your phone out of your pocket and looked at your lock screen. A picture of you and your brother. You smiled tenderly, you missed him. 

Coming back to Paris and to your flat felt weird after such magical weeks. The gloomy weather made you regret the sun on your skin and you definitely didn’t miss the messy public transportation. Your days were filled with preparing the next races, organizing a few livestreams here and there where you invited fans to talk about the first few races of the season. And thanks to your connection at Alpine and the good relationship you had started to build with the drivers you even managed to get an interview from Pierre where you get to talk about his first weeks in his new team. It had been a nice and chill discussion more than an interview and you were happy to see that people had liked the concept and hoped you would keep it going with other people.

Despite how happy you were feeling about your week, it had still been a busy one and you couldn’t wait to go home and hop in your shower to relax before going out again to meet your best friend in a nice parisian restaurant. You arrived earlier than her and got to your table as the waiter gave you the menu and asked if you wanted to drink something. You ordered a Martini and started to wait for her, scrolling on your phone to pass the time. But as if fate had decided to play with you tonight, right when you decided to lift your chin, you saw him entering the restaurant. Charles Leclerc. And in good company if you could judge by the brunette walking right behind him. A date you thought to yourself. You unconsciously sat further down in your seat in hope he wouldn’t recognise you. You couldn’t help but give him little glances, your curiosity getting the best out of you. It didn’t last long, though, as your friend soon arrived and Charles wasn’t in your mind anymore.

“You have so many things to tell me and I have so many questions for you!”

You laughed. She has always been your number one supporter no matter what you were going through in your life. You didn’t expect anything else from her. Happily, you told her everything, even the slightest detail.

“So, who is the hottest? And is there anyone who is single?” she whispered to you as if you were both part of a gigantic conspiracy.

“I don’t know, I don’t really think about it. And I don’t have the mental space for that.”

She knew what you were implying. She knew all too well. She put a hand on yours and squeezed it gently before diverting the discussion to a lighter topic. The conversation flowed until your friend received a call. She quickly apologized to take it in a quieter space and came back a few minutes later, biting her lip, visibly worried.

“I got a call from my mom… my grandmother fell at home and she hit her head. She is at the hospital… I’m sorry I have to cut our dinner short, but…”

“Dont. I understand. Go.” you reassured her as she threw her arms around you and kissed your cheek before making her way out.

He was fed up. Clearly, he was not having the time of his life. The girl right in front of him had been sent by Ferrari and Silvia in another attempt to set him up with someone. No pressure, she had told him, she just wanted him to meet her and who knows? Maybe they would hit it off. And if it wasn’t the case, then she would leave him alone. For now. So he had agreed, a few weeks of peace seemed like a good option.

But he was bored out of his mind. The girl, who seemed nice, he had nothing against her, was agreeing to everything he was saying and was waiting for him to hold the conversation. He hated that. He needed someone who could challenge him, someone who didn’t care about who he was and clearly the brunette in front of him wasn’t what he wanted. They weren’t even at the main course that she had already mentioned the growth of her following and the new opportunities being seen with him would bring her, if they decided to date. He hated it. And he didn’t intend to spend one more minute in her presence. When the waiter came to take their order, he looked him straight in the eyes.

“You know, come to think of it, I’m not hungry. Can I have the bill instead?”

He knew it was a dick move, and if his mother would hear of it she would most certainly give him an earful. But it would still be more enjoyable than sitting there. He apologized, quickly made sure that the girl knew he had no interest in going out with her another day and made his way out to pay. That’s when he noticed you, alone, sipping on your drink. He could laugh. Out of all places, he had to cross your path. As if acting on their own, his feet carried him to your table.

“Fancy, seeing you here.” he said, making you look up. He expected to see a surprised look on your face but it wasn’t the case. You didn’t take your eyes off of him, making him slightly uncomfortable. “What are you doing here, all alone? A date who hasn’t shown up?”

“I was supposed to meet my friend but she couldn’t stay for long, an emergency came up. So here I am, sipping my drink, alone. It’s okay. I’m enjoying my very own company. And that very tasteful assortment of pastries. I most likely won’t be able to eat that alone, though.” you shrugged, putting a piece of chocolate cake in your mouth.

“You know, I’m in a mood for sweet… care to share?”

You were about to offer him to sit with you when he quickly recalled that his date was still there.

“Actually, would you mind getting a doggy bag and going elsewhere to eat? I kind of want to get the hell out of here.”

“Your date wasn’t that good, I assume then.” you said as a matter of fact.

“How did you…”

“I have eyes. I saw you.”

“You saw me…” he repeated, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I was facing the door.”

And suddenly he felt stupid about trying to see a deeper meaning in her words than what she intended to.

Out of the restaurant, they both wandered along the docks, enjoying the fresh air and the almost empty streets, the bag of cakes between them as they were sharing in a natural way. Almost as if they had done it all their life. Charles told her all about his very bad date and enjoyed making her laugh.

“Glad to see my very poor and inexistent love life is entertaining.” he smiled.

“It really is. I mean, look at you. You have the fame, the money, the good looks you could have anyone you wanted and here you are, having the exact same issues as us common people.”

“Believe it or not, but dating has become harder and harder the more famous I become. Whatever that means. We are all searching for the same thing, at the end of the day and famous or not. We want someone to complete us. Someone we feel good with.”

“Yeah, it’s not easy to find.”

“Clearly not.”

They kept walking in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

“I’m shocked you don’t try to pry or snoop around. You could ask so many questions about the season and try to get insides… but you don’t. Why?”

“I’m outside of my job hours. Right now, I’m just Y/N and not Y/N the very insufferable journalist. And you hate my questions, it’s me who should be shocked that you want to hear them.”

“I don’t hate them, I just don’t understand why I seem to be the only one to be on the receiving end of your bluntness. Every freaking time.” he defended himself.

You let out a sigh.

“They are legitimate questions and they are always validated by the team before being asked, if something was out of line they would tell me and I wouldn’t ask them.” you simply said.

Charles felt that there must be something else, something she wasn’t saying but they didn’t know each other well enough for him to dare ask her. From the corner of his eye, he saw her repressing a yawn.

“It’s late, do you need someone to drive you back home safely?” he asked.

“No.” she immediately said. “I mean, it’s kind of you, really. This whole hour talking felt nice but I’m not sure it’s something that should have happened. I know I can make friends with drivers, and some journalists do it, but I don't think I can, personally. That’s just not how it works for me. It would make my job harder and I need a clear mind to focus.” you tried to explain, perfectly aware of how hypocritical you sound.

“Do you say the same things to all drivers or do I receive special treatment?”

You opened and closed your mouth. You didn’t want to lie to him and somehow he read it in your eyes that it’s not that you didn’t want to have friends among the drivers. You just didn’t want to be his friend. And somehow it hurt more than what he expected.

Author's note: Happy first GP of the season! To celebrate it, here's the new chapter! I hope you liked it.

Don't hesitate to leave a comment or an ask, as well as reblogging and leaving a like. Besides the fact that I absolutely love to read you, it helps a lot for the story to find its audience. I also have a taglist for this story, so if you want to be added so you never miss a chapter, let me know.

If you wanna be part of the taglist, let me know.

Taglist: @itsjustkhaos @thirstylion @cmleitora @charizznorizz @sltwins @boherahpsody @herondalism

[happinessismusic]

Oh my, this video interview of Blake with Cassie has so many lovely quotes. One of my favorites is Zuma showing Blake about new country artists. Blake described Zuma as a boots and jeans guy. So adorable! 💕

[shefanispeculator]

Becoming Espo: The Story Of Industry Vet John Esposito [Interview] - MusicRow.com

April 21, 2023by LB Cantrell

“I said yes in a heartbeat. I came down here in September of 2009 and never looked back. I had no idea if I’d be successful as a country record label head, but I knew I was going to give it my all and that I was lucky to get that opportunity.”

At the time, Warner’s country music label in Nashville was struggling, with record sales declining. Blake Shelton had been at the label for eight years, and had seen modest success with five No. 1 records, but wasn’t hitting his maximum potential.

“I looked at the roster and the crew that was operating the company and I thought Blake was my greatest opportunity. I thought, I have to help this team make a statement by putting all our eggs in the Blake Shelton basket.”

It worked. Shelton, who is still a WMN artist, boasts 28 No. 1 hits and multiple Gold and Platinum certifications. Over the past two decades he has accumulated more than 8.5 billion global on-demand streams, 13 million career album U.S. sales, and award wins approaching the hundreds.

“I had to convince people that we could win. If we could start winning with Blake, we could win.”

In 2016, Espo celebrated a promotion to chairman and CEO of WMN, and Shelton broke a record for the label with 17 consecutive No. 1 songs on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. In 2018, Espo signed another country hitmaker, Kenny Chesney, who celebrated his 34th No. 1 in January.

[ourpickwickclub]

RE: Blake talking about the 8-10 songs he has ready, just put this title into youtube to hear the best 12 minute Blake interview from November 2023:

Extended Cut: Blake Shelton on leaving 'The Voice,' 'Barmageddon,' and Ole Red Las Vegas

or just type in Today Show Extended Cut Blake Shelton

In this interview we also got this lovely gem (Thanks to @shefaniquotes for already having it typed out!!!):

2:00 “What is the best part of your life now that she's in it?”

“Oh my God. I mean, the best part is lying down with her at night, and waking up and she's there in the morning.”

“I just didn’t know that that was out there, that that was possible. For that feeling to be out there. You know, that kind of relationship, that kind of friendship. It’s just like, ‘Oh!’ I thought I knew, but I didn’t know and that’s my fault. But now that I do know, it is like, ‘Alright, now my life is starting. This is really where life starts for me.’”

8:59 "Any new music we can expect?"

"...before I know it, which is where I'm at right now, I'll have 8 or 10 things recorded and something that looks like an album..."

Also, I forgot to mention in my last ask, in addition to everything else, THE NEW SHEFANI DUET!!! How can we not be super excited for 2024!!! There is so much to look forward to that we already know about and probably way more we don't know about.

This is such a positive post. Thank you.

- B

[imthefailedartist]

Judges or Distractions

I've been trying to think about why American Idol has so many successful contestants, but a show like The Voice, which arguably has the same hype, has none and I think I've found the reason.

The judges panel.

Idol's panel consisted of a behind the scenes music executive, two former performers who had moved on to more behind the scenes work, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul. The Voice opened its doors with a stacked panel of front of camera celebrities, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Agulilera, and Ceelo Green and a few twists. Judges weren't just judges they were coaches, contestants were chosen solely based on their vocal abilities, no more Sanjaya's or William Hung's just talented singers hoping for their chance at a recording contract.

On Idol, Jackson and Abdul had moved from the spotlight. The former became a producer, the latter choreography. Cowell was a popular producer. While The Voices judges were coming off album releases and hit singles. You knew who they were and were tuning in to see them. Whereas on American Idol, you'd heard of them but not in a while, so you wanted to see what they were up to and got distracted by the singing.

American Idol advertised the singers and the competition. The Voice is the opposite, every commercial focuses on the judges. Come see this famous person do this thing. Come see the bromance between Blake and Adam. Come see Christina Aguilera and Ceelo Green be subject to the Bladam's antics.

Idol viewers had no choice but to tune in and pay attention to the singers. Even when the judges' quirks became drinking game worthy, they were still never a distraction.

The voice has had 24 seasons. 24 ended a few weeks ago, and they are advertising season 25 now. And I have no idea who won. I have never heard of any of the winners from any season. Not a song, not a Good Morning America interview, nothing! Kelly Clarkson won in 2002. I remember the radio DJ announcing the new song from the winner of American Idol. Since U Been Gone sounded and I was struck. Jennifer Hundson placed 7th on her season, and she's an EGOT, both have served as coaches on The Voice. Carrie Underwood is the most awarded country singer.

I say all of this as a person who does not watch either show, yet I know so much about winners and runnerups of American Idol. I watched one season of Idol (S6) because a girl from my area was on the show, and the whole county was rooting and voting for her. Once she was eliminated, I stopped watching, but not before, of course, casting a few joke votes for Sanjaya. The Voice I've seen absolutely nothing of.

Supporting my theory is that once Cowell, Jackson, and Abdul left the show and were replaced with current celebrity judges, my knowledge of the winners and losers has gone to zilch. Scott McCreary and Phillip Phillips were the last winners I've ever heard music from. Now, all the ads focus on the celebrity judges. Occasionally, a contestant will slip through, but it's never of them singing just their heartfelt story.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 24/08/2024 (Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga "Die with a Smile")

Chase, Status and Stormzy remain at the top of the UK Singles Chart for a second week as “BACKBONE” retains its #1 spot amidst a surprisingly slow week. The big story is Gaga and Bruno returning with their comeback duet to the top 10, but before we get to any of that, well, there’s just about everything else. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: references to war

Rundown

As always, we start our episode with the notable dropouts - those being songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. This week, we bid farewell to a small group of “Alibi” by Sevdaliza, Pabllo Vittar and Yseult, “DEVIL IS A LIE” by Tommy Richman and two tracks from Central Cee - not his best week - those being “gen z luv” - thank God - and “BAND4BAND” with Lil Baby.

As for our notable gains and re-entries, we have “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield scrape back at #75, but the big story in these categories is Post Malone, whose country duets album F-1 Trillion fails to chart any new songs, probably because it’s not all that great and the UK is going to rarely grant much success to a full-on country pivot, but we do have a big return for “Pour Me a Drink” with Blake Shelton at #39, and his other songs see gains: “I Had Some Help” with Morgan Wallen at #29 and the terrible “Guy for That” with Luke Combs at #25. We do see some notable boosts outside of Post, in particular for “The Man Who Can’t be Moved” by The Script at #64, “You’re Gonna Go Far” by Noah Kahan at #60, Taylor Swift gains for “Fortnight” featuring, well, Post Malone at #50 and “Cruel Summer” at #41, “Carry You Home” by Alex Warren at #46, “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez at #35 - definitely not complaining about that one - “Big Dawgs” by Hanumankind and Kalmi at #15 and finally, Chappell Roan snabs her second top 10 with “HOT TO GO!” at #10.

Finally, in the top five… the trio of Huh, WhoNow and whatshername have finally made it, with “Kisses” by BL3SS, CamrinWatsin and bbyclose making it to #5. The rest should be familiar: “Guess” by Charli xcx featuring Billie Eilish at #4, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish at #3, “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan at #2 and the aforementioned “BACKBONE” at the very top. Now before we get to our big top 10 debut, let’s see what’s scraping up below it.

New Entries

#72 - “Cry Baby” - Clean Bandit, Anne-Marie and David Guetta

Produced by Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto

If we end the show with a long-awaited collab between two big-name 2010s hit-makers who have kept quiet for most of this decade, but always create a global smash when they arrive… then I guess we’ll start with a trio of European hit-makers from the 2010s who haven’t been able to go away, and given this is actually a week after it debuted in the top 100, I think the impact of that next Clean Bandit album may be a little muted. What I was personally terrified of when this line-up appeared was the prospect of the previous hit they’d blatantly sample, so the fact that this is an original song is already an improvement on my low expectations. As for its quality, well, firstly, it immediately sounded outdated. Sure, the country flair they acknowledged is contemporary but the Official Charts Company themselves noted that the whistling harmonised with the typical Clean Bandit string swell resembles the sea shanties of 2021, and really, this is just an undeniably Just Dance 2018 line-up. The main melodic hook resembles a traditional folk sing-song, but that translates to a particularly staccato tropical house drop, and when you find out from the band themelves in their OCC interview that this is straight out of 2020, with them dismissing most of the changes they’d made to the track since and releasing an earlier version, everything starts to make sense. Guetta says it was four years in the making but realistically, this had been made four years ago, and it speaks to the public’s change of taste that this seems to be more of a slow burn. The song is completely serviceable, but made redundant but much else of Clean Bandit’s catalogue, and this was made long before Anne-Marie really channelled her bratty instincts in her last record, so apart from some cute obnoxious laughter in the backing ad-libs, this feels dry, lacking in much to set it apart, which for all three of these acts, is pretty par for the course nowadays.

#55 - “New Woman” - LISA featuring ROSALÍA

Produced by Max Martin and ILYA

Now if there’s something that definitely isn’t lacking in personality, it would be a track by BLACKPINK star LISA with a guest appearance from ROSALÍA, and naturally, production from Max Martin instead of any of the weirder acts like Arca or el Guincho that ROSALÍA often gels with, and LISA could use to help her carve a distinct sound. It struck me as a bizarre decision, and one that I’m genuinely surprised she had the ability to make, especially given LISA seemed inching closer to both rap and the avant-garde with “Rockstar”. Martin and ILYA may have taken themselves further out of their comfort zone by enlisting Tove Lo as a writer, and given the robotic vocal loop that is barely on beat, the blocks of synths against the factorial drums and even record scratches, you can hear her all over this more garish attempt at an 80s pastiche, even in LISA’s verses themselves, as her vocal delivery of monosyllabic, abstract and separate phrases borderline feels like an impression, before the fast-paced, staccato chorus full of stuttering meshing with the flashy chiptune synths that seems just as like Tove Lo.

The song is all about a newly-gained female confidence, and whilst the lyrics don’t stand out to me as particularly quotable, they may not need to, especially since ROSALÍA takes the song into a murkier territory with a wave of grim bass fuzz, drowning out the melody and replacing what remains with hyperpop-esque effects as she dominates the mix alongside a stray, overly loud snare, so she can take a flex verse to an oddly sinister edge, using her sheer emotional strength as a coping mechanism before it flashes back abruptly, in typical K-pop fashion, to the plastic pop mask. It’s rare that the stop-and-start momentum of K-pop is used to such thematic success, on the charts at least, and honestly I really like the progression, and they even find time in the mix to give LISA the opportunity to rap as a book-end on the intro and outro - it fits the call-and-response post-chorus really well. Surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed this, and I also appreciate seeing Max Martin being taken out of his comfort zone whilst still employing his signature sound. It makes a lot of sense that the presence of ROSALÍA and Tove Lo would prompt that, and I’m slightly more interested in where LISA goes from here rather than wherever I could have predicted she went from “Rockstar”.

#53 - “Pretty Slowly” - Benson Boone

Produced by Evan Blair

Well, at least one of these songs can be quick and easy. As the lieutenant-general of the Boonecorps and CEO of BDS - Benson Defense Squad - I don’t think this one’s too great. It’s still good, I genuinely like this guy and the wordy, tripping-over-himself way of writing his lyrics, but the folkish tones are almost childlike in the verses, not fitting for his whinier tone, especially with some questionable pronounciations and inflections along the way. The overlong build of the chorus makes perfect sense with the stomp-clap elevation and backing vocals given how the track lyrically themes itself around the gradual degradation of a relationship, with him only getting into his signature shriek once it feels too fast to prevent it all from collapsing. The harmonies that are slightly off on timing and have a gang vocals feel whilst still feeling very attached to Boone’s tone makes the song have a great sense of panic in its fuller moments. I just wish that led to more than the frankly disappointing bridge-turned-outro, as a mostly good song ends with a slower, melancholic rise, with an awkward vocal mastering job, and repetitive lyric that really does not resolve the song’s post-breakup angst in a satisfying or even compelling way. Even blowing out the mix to ridiculous proportions, which honestly usually helps me enjoy a song, doesn’t help me get over the weird left turn and frankly, I think this is where he needs some help lyrically: actually completing his song’s narratives. It’s still fine, though, and we stay in folk rock territory with…

#48 - “Nobody’s Soldier” - Hozier

Produced by Bekon, Pete G, Chakra and Sergiu Gherman

Though not as explosive as his last EP of B-sides, thanks to the lack of a really immediate hit like “Too Sweet”, Hozier is still trickling out another trilogy, with the new EP Unaired. The stand-out opener is the anti-war song “Nobody’s Soldier”, which got the video treatment and takes on a lone-wolf character fitting for its strident guitar fuzz and distorted intro, taking a third option in between selling yourself physically to a warzone and selling yourself to a capitalistic society, becoming another product in the midst of others fighting for “consumer” attention, with several pieces of imagery directly mirroring the experiences of those in the trenches of the World Wars. Hozier sounds as powerful in the relentless, dynamically-mixed chorus as he sounds uncertain in the tense, breathy clinging of the verses, demonstrating a very real disillusionment with the selfishness inherent in a society that benefits financially from promoting and waging conflict, both as industry market competition and actual bloodshed.

Whilst more of an anthemic independence, Hozier can come off as a tad weak here, being buried in the mix sometimes by the more prominent, almost digital-sounding guitar pumping in the right channel, and not having the best enunciation - not that you really need that in a populist protest song - but the lyrics also seem to look too in between two dimensions to really settle for what change can be made. I don’t exactly think there’s all too much room in the geopolitical climate for centrist disgruntlement, and I can’t see a society where the potential motive behind this song - just being “all about the music” and wanting to release art rather than force himself into commercialism and/or war, which he paints several parallels between - isn’t selling yourself. Even in a world where art is not commodified to the extent it is now, the deeply personal lyrics of some of Hozier’s tracks combined with the need to create a centralised space wherein that art can be expressed, spread and accessed is creating a product out of yourself, it almost seems unavoidable. The song is still very good, I am not really going to defy a song’s impact, grit and tightly-written narrative if I don’t agree with it thematically, though I feel it may stem too closely to “Too Sweet” for Hozier’s own good in its overarching themes and tone, setting itself apart with a harsher and political edge but falling into the traps of circling itself into recapturing the same idea, to the point of being a tad under-developed, all the same.

#7 - “Die with a Smile” - Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars

Produced by Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, D’Mile and watt

As much as Bruno and Gaga both feel like icons of a 2010s style of grandiose pop long gone, they still have made plenty of work that I personally enjoy greatly on many more levels than pure nostalgia, and I think that’s part of why the two have resonated so strongly and for so long, alongside the diverse range of their talents and genre-scoping abilities, they’re like pop music polymaths, and in Gaga’s case, she works between so many forms and mediums that calling her a “singer” feels like an understatement. Both acts have recruited people from their side - D’Mile and James Fauntleroy are writing here alongside producer Andrew Watt from the pop rock sphere - so this dramatic re-entry, which may be on either artists’ album or both, whenever that’s coming for either of them since it’s been a while on both fronts, should be an easy push and slam dunk on both the charts and in the eyes of the critics. And is it worth the hype? Does it pass the already high expectations we have for these two, we can probably call it now, legends of pop music? …Yeah, obviously, the song’s fantastic.

The conceit of the exhausted “ooh-ooh” from Bruno that enters the song in through feathery falsetto and returns to signal the floating verses, both of which start outside of their respective singer’s control, is such a neat little detail that Bruno would obviously add in, those sneaky refrains are probably part of what makes his musicianship so special to Gaga herself, as explained in their Variety article, and you can definitely tell that this was Bruno’s song first, mostly because it’s a smooth jam that has his harmonies dripping all over it, even when Gaga’s supposed to be the lead vocal. The dramatic drumming that fills in for the gentler guitars is mixed so perfectly, down to a really brilliant panning job when they first come in, that it adds a lot of genuine strength to this power ballad, even when the rest of the instrumental benefits from its languid, throwback slide, balancing the song’s aged comfort, which you can really hear in Bruno’s “just for a while” delivery in the chorus, with a lovestruck intensity from their early 2010s work remaining, especially through Gaga’s belting that meshes note to note with Bruno, particularly in the rougher pre-chorus. It feels like a perfect middle man between the youthful, dedicated bops that launched them into fame and the natural adult contemporary conclusion, bringing that same 100% energy to a style more fitting of their age and career progression.

I adore the production details down to Gaga’s vocal being distanced and filtered in the second chorus to bubble below Bruno’s delicate take, signalling the careening swell of pianos to come in the bridge, which wastes no time from dipping its toes into the shallow pool of water that sounds like it’s below their performance, to crashing into theatrics like a true megastar moment. The sheer strength of the instrumental break sends Gaga into a ferociously dedicated passion right after, and renders Bruno’s early coos into a screech that resonates through the mix well into the passage’s closing moments. I love the thematic conceit of Bruno always overpowering Gaga on the “I’d wanna hold you just for a while” line whilst she’s much more prominent in both renditions she has of the chorus’ first half. There’s simply so much to appreciate about this song, but perhaps its biggest appeal is just how big it sounds. It’s written like the climax to a soundtrack, its scale lyrically is that of the end of the world, and it features some absolute powerhouses going toe-to-toe on an instrumental so layered and massive that it could overpower any of the two at any given moment.

It should be of no surprise that these two titans come together for this extravagant of a song, and the two always felt like they should have crossed paths a long time ago given their similar - but not nearly identical - paths that have not just followed but actively played on the public perceptions of what a pop star could and couldn’t be, whether through the gesamtkunstwerk spectacle of Lady Gaga’s time in the limelight, using her decade and change with the public eye to make the most challenging pop of its time whilst branching across film, fashion and contemporary art in a way that has forever fused the artforms, or Bruno’s slow-burn dedication to perfectly replicate the styles of music he holds dear, in blind disregard to release dates, and prove himself as a man who makes art purely because he loves it and wants to transmit that joy he experiences unto others. Simply put, I imagine these two are somewhat on the way out in their hit-making career, so to have this beast of a power ballad as their ending credits, with the two finally coming together to prove that dominance and evolution, it really is kind of beautiful. It does help that I’ve been alive to track these artists’ progression, and for much of the second half, document it on here, so a song like this that even uses the subtext of their pop stardom being somewhat behind them, or even them just being beyond that now, will resonate particularly well with me, in particular because ARTPOP and An Evening with Silk Sonic are borderline perfect albums, in my opinion, and whilst this may be more comfortably in Bruno’s camp, “Die with a Smile” still hits immensely and I really hope it smashes just to give them that victory lap. I can’t say this about really any song that debuts and I have to review in real-time, but this one… it feels like an all-timer. An absolutely perfect song to end this episode. This is pop music incarnate.

Conclusion

Wow, I mean, you can’t really have it better than that! Only five songs, not one I dislike, and aside from one, they’re all very good, so it gives you an easy Worst of the Week - “Cry Baby” by Clean Bandit, David Guetta and Anne-Marie - without actually being hard to listen to, and I’m spoiled rotten for the Honourable Mention but the Best of the Week is barely a choice simply because of how far Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars run away with it with “Die with a Smile”. Ultimately, I gave the Honourable Mention to LISA and ROSALÍA for “New Woman”, mostly because there are small nitpicks with the others, but this is ultimately a nice little batch of songs. As for what’s on the horizon, I suppose we’ll have to look out for Sabrina Carpenter’s newest album release given her recently-acquired megastar status, as well as new tracks to look out for from Myles Smith and Coldplay. Hell, Fontaines D.C. might end up with something here, you can’t count them out. For now, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

[shefaniwords]

Stefani has three sons with ex husband Gavin Rossdale.

Blake Shelton is looking forward to many more years with his wife, Gwen Stefani. 

Speaking with ET's Cassie DiLaura from his new bar, Ole Red Las Vegas, on Wednesday, the 47-year-old country singer reflected on how much his life has changed over the last decade since he met Stefani, 54, during her freshman season as a coach on NBC's The Voice. At the time, she was just months out from welcoming her third child with Gavin Rossdale, whom she split from in 2015. 

Looking back on the 10-year anniversary of their first meeting, Shelton said that while they didn't really talk much during her first season on The Voice as she had just given birth to Apollo, it didn't take long for their lives -- which were "falling apart," according to tabloids at the time -- to fall together. 

"You would see her out at the red chairs if there was a production meeting or whatever and I feel like I got to know Pharrell [Williams] more that year than I did Gwen," he said of her first year. "It wasn't until the season she came back, the next one, that the pieces were falling together." 

"If I could have a repeat of these past 10 years, [that] would be perfect," he said of what he hopes the future holds. "Next month, we've got an 18-year-old, which it blows my mind that already happened. And in a couple of years, we'll have another 18-year-old. And that's... it's gonna be I guess a lot more alone time, which I'm not mad about that either." 

He added, "But we still have Apollo, so we have another almost 10 years before we can kick him out, so it should be a lot of fun."

As for whether or not Kingston, Zuma and Apollo have made him see things differently as a person, Shelton said they have changed him "in every possible way." While he has known the boys since 2014, the singer officially took on the title of stepdad in July 2021 when he and Stefani tied the knot, less than 12 months after he popped the question, which came five years into their relationship. 

"I learned quickly, not because anything happened, but just, you know, reading the room, you’ve really got [to think], 'I have to take a step back,'" Shelton said of his mindset shift while stepping into the role of stepdad. "When people say it's not about you anymore when you have a kid... I think, if you're doing it right, it's not about you anymore. That's true."

The GRAMMY Award nominee has long been open about his commitment to raising Stefani's kids and embracing them as his own from the get-go. In a 2022 interview during the Country Radio Seminar, he pointed to his own father who raised his younger brother by marriage as his guiding light for how to approach the situation. 

The relationship between Shelton and the boys is not a one-way street, though. He told ET that while they have certainly impacted how he sees the world, he has done the same thing for them, giving the teens a completely different perspective from that of their rockstar British dad and punk princess mother. 

"I get to teach them the country, you know, and I love that," Shelton said. "Whether it's music, whether it's literally getting out, getting their hands in the dirt or being out on the ranch, seeing the animals, whatever, you know? I absolutely love being the person that gets to introduce them to that stuff."

As for how whether or not he still pinches himself at getting to wake up next to Stefani every day, Shelton said some things will never change and that includes being shocked by how fate played a hand in their love story. 

Shelton continued, "If you would've told me the first season that we met that -- what was gonna happen, I would've been like, 'No, we actually don't even have anything to even talk about, you know? What are you talking about?' ... It's crazy how things work out." 

[wherewhereare]

Wynonna Judd admits she didn't just have mixed feelings about the new A Tribute to the Judds album — she wasn't a fan of the idea at first.

One specific song changed her mind, however, and now she's embracing a 14-song cover album of Judds' biggest hits with her mother, the late Naomi Judd.

Then, all of a sudden I heard Gwen Stefani singing 'Love Is Alive' and, I mean — What is this?'" Judd says, gushing. "Her and Blake (Shelton) are singing our song and it's really good! I told Gwen that recently. I told her it's one of my favorite songs on the album." Read More: https://tasteofcountry.com/wynonna-judds-tribute-album-favorites-interview/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

Thanks for the catch.

[selamat-linting]

damn theyre making all the heel as his haters lmao. no wonder the fans attuned to internet rumor mills are mostly heel fans. except for seth. he's a face. but even then he did think drew was a little too obsessed on that one promo. you know its bad when a fellow hater thinks youre overdoing it. honestly, i'm still convinced punk was supposed to have a heel-turn shortly after returning. even in his first promo, interview, and the photo from that merch thing. something something dusty's kid line on his rumble match. you cant exactly handwave a ten year absence. he got injured though, so he has to stay face until he heals up. thats why cody did the whole super sad hugging scene, and seth starts to focus on to the bloodline story. while the rest of the heels did the classic heel tactic of making fun of the injured guy or talking shit about him.

(as a random aside, i do find it adorable that he's literally the asshole in his short rivalry with cody. refuses to see cody as nothing more than dusty's kid, refuses to admit cody was the guy who actually did everything punk promised he would do, but then he got hurt and now its cody who hugs him so gently when he's all teary-eyed and hurt. baby-ass behavior. i love it. another aside, a friend of mine called cody the blake shelton of wrestling. i dont know enough about american culture to disagree)

im starting to get a picture of what kind of guy punk is supposed to be in the roster. he's going to be the guy who acts bad so it makes the babyfaces look better. i think he's meant to have a rivalry with seth first, lose on that mania match, slowly turns heel as he had a rivalry with drew that eventually puts drew over, and oh look seth was right all along about him. thats what i think was the plan though. sad it didnt happen. sad!

[hollywoodoutbreak]

Blake Shelton considers himself to be a very lucky man. For more than 20 years, he's been able to make a great living doing the thing he loves the most: music. Whether recording, touring, or coaching talent on The Voice, Shelton says his passion for music still hasn't diminished after all these years, and it still finds way to surprise him.

The Voice airs Monday & Tuesday nights on NBC, and episodes start streaming the following day on Peacock.

[happinessismusic]

Lots of gems in this new interview of Gwen. Thank you, as always, Cassie! 😊

[shefanispeculator]

Music News

Blake Shelton Gushes Over 'Favorite All-Time No. 1 Human' Gwen Stefani

ByKelly Fisher

Sep 20, 2024

Photo: Getty Images

Blake Shelton gushed over wife Gwen Stefani and the new single she released on Friday (September 20).

“Somebody Else’s” is the first single to arrive from Stefani’s upcoming fifth studio album, Bouquet. She announced the 10-track record earlier this week. The project will also include “Purple Irises,” the duet Stefani and Shelton released earlier this year. Previously, the husband and wife duo delivered “Nobody But You,” “Happy Anywhere” and other collaborations.

“Hello, everybody. This is an incredible day. This is my favorite day of the year so far,” Shelton said in a video he posted to Instagram on Friday. “My favorite all-time songwriter, my favorite all-time singer, favorite all-time No. 1 human being I ever met in my life, Gwen Stefani, released her new single, ‘Somebody Else’s.’ And holy sh*t. It’s so good. Please go listen to it.”

Shelton and Stefani met when they were both coaches on The Voice in 2014. They confirmed their relationship the following year, got engaged in 2020, and got married in July 2021 in a stunning ceremony on Shelton’s ranch in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Shelton previously said in an Entertainment Tonight interview that Stefani has changed his life “in every possible way,” and “if I could have a repeat of these past 10 years [together, that] would be perfect.”

[ourpickwickclub]

I saw extra and entertainment tonight today. It was the first time that both shows mentioned ML since that start of the new year, 2024. It showed that having Reba as a special guest worked somewhat even though Post got most of the coverage at Stagecoach. However, this little coverage of ML shows how irrelevant she really is compare to ten years old. In 2014, she was Mrs. Shelton and anything she did was cover by the mainstream media. She was mostly in every cover for majority of magazine in 2014. She was very popular that she did interview for every radio shows and TV shows that same year. You couldn't escape ML in 2014. Thats how saturated she was compare to now. No wonder she is so desperate for any attention and why she is so bitter.

Even her most loyal fans only get really pumped up about a new song when they can somehow relate it to Blake, so I can see why she’s bitter. 😆

— M