Made in America Festival, Featuring Lizzo and SZA, Canceled

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music “Snooze” is one of the most romantic songs on SZA’s chart-topping sophomore album “SOS,” and the song gets a suitably intimate treatment in her new video for the song, which features her snuggling, smoking, swimming arguing and dancing with Justin Bieber, “Power Book II” star Woody McClain, “Beef” hunk Young Mazino and super-producer/songwriter Benny Blanco (who has worked with Bieber, Ed Sheeran and many others as well as his good friend SZA). However, she saves the most intimate dance scenes for … well… you’ll see. Bieber is featured on the song’s extended remix, and he and wife Hailey attended her show in Los Angeles back in March.

Singer Liam Payne has cancelled his upcoming South American tour after being hospitalised with a 'serious kidney infection'.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Republic Records’ Kids & Family division and the Rock and Roll Playhouse have announced an exclusive partnership with a multi-album record deal. Founded by Brooklyn Bowl owner and live music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro, the Rock and Roll Playhouse is set to release their premiere album, “Friends Rock!,” on Friday, September 22.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Following the release of her new album, “Hood Hottest Princess,” her “Pound” singles and dates supporting Drake and 21 Savage, Sexyy Red has announced dates for her first headlining tour, “Hood Hottest Princess Tour.” Produced by Live Nation, the 20-city tour kicks off on October 16th at The Paradise Rock Club in Boston making stops across the U.S. in Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up in San Francisco at The Fillmore on November 29.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music After a three-year delay while legal matters were sorted out, the Prince estate is relaunching the reissue campaign of the late artist’s sprawling catalog with one of his biggest-selling albums, 1991’s “Diamonds and Pearls.” With singles like “Cream,” “Gett Off” and the title track, the album returned Prince to the top of the charts and was his final blockbuster release. On October 27, Paisley Park Enterprises, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Records, will reissue “Diamonds And Pearls” in a giant 7CD/12-LP set (also available in 2-CD and 1-CD versions), with 47 previously unreleased tracks, as well as a previously unreleased two hours of video concert performances from Prince’s much-vaunted vault.

Jaden Thompson V10 Entertainment, which recently acquired “America’s Funniest Home Videos” creator and producer Vin Di Bona Productions, has partnered with Shorthand Studios to expand the hit series’ online presence. Under the deal, Shorthand will go through the show’s 30-year-old library to upload more than 1,000 hours of additional videos on YouTube and Facebook.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Five-time Grammy winner Lauryn Hill has announced a 25th anniversary tour for her iconic debut solo album, 1998’s “Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Hill’s former group the Fugees, who abruptly canceled a planned 25th anniversary tour around their multiplatinum album “The Score“ album last year, will open the America dates, presumably because of member Pras Michel’s legal challenges. The 17 date tour will hit arenas around the world, including Brooklyn’s Barclays, Chicago’s United Center, The Kia Forum in Los Angeles as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and more (full dates below).

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff has announced an extensive new partnership with Dirty Hit Records founder Jamie Oborne, alongside a new exclusive agreement with leading global publisher Universal Music Publishing Group. The multifaceted deal will see Antonoff (pictured above, top) and his band Bleachers being managed by Oborne, with Antonoff and Oborne also launching a new joint venture; in addition, Antonoff’s band Bleachers have signed with Dirty Hit, Oborne’s independent label, which is also home to the 1975, Rina Sawayama, Wolf Alice, Beabadoobee and others.

Catherine Bray Dondo’s dad is dead. That’s one of the first things we learn in writer-director Johnny Barrington’s spry, offbeat debut feature “Silent Roar” — this year’s Edinburgh fest opener.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Talking Heads were one of the most important and influential acts to emerge from the 1970s, yet the bandmembers’ relations since their split around a decade later have not been the most harmonious. The group has reunited just once — when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 — and frontman/main songwriter David Byrne has been on the receiving end of a long string of critical comments from former bandmates Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, who say that he deprived them of due credit and other opportunities and was generally unpleasant to work with.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music The wide reach of Clarence Avant, who was widely known as “the Godfather of Black Entertainment” and died Sunday at the age of 92, was evident from the range of people paying tribute to him on social media after his death was announced Monday morning. His influence spanned music, entertainment, sports, politics and beyond. Within just a couple of hours, former President Bill Clinton, the Rev.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Clarence Avant, whose unofficial title of the “Black Godfather” spanned the worlds of music, sports, entertainment and politics, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his family. No cause of death was provided; he was 92. “It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant,” the statement from his children, Nicole and Alexander and son-in-law Ted Sarandos.

Despite the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Fall film festivals like Venice, TIFF, and NYFF forge ahead with their lineups. And today, TIFF announced the star-studded roster for its Gala and Special Presentation lineups for the 48th edition of the festival.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Stem has announced the launch of Tone, a new brand and business under Stem Disintermedia ownership intended to create modern financial tools for the music industry. Tone, led by the company’s chief product officer Brendan Kao, “was created to fix the broken financial processes across the entire music industry, regardless of which label or distributor an artist utilizes, enabling them to take control of their finances,” according to the announcement.

Jay-Z’s music festival has hit a major snag.

Jay-Z‘s Made In America festival has been cancelled for 2023 due to “severe circumstances”.The annual festival was due to be held next month (September 2-3) in Philadelphia and headlined by SZA and Lizzo.In their statement announcing the cancellation, festival organisers said the decision was made “due to severe circumstances outside of production control.”They added: “This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation.“Made in America has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concert goers, and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience. We look forward to returning to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the great city of Philadelphia in 2024.”pic.twitter.com/gt9PqKCINR— Made In America Festival (@MIAFestival) August 8, 2023It has not been revealed whether the cancellation is related to festival headliner Lizzo’s recent legal troubles.

Lizzo and SZA, has been canceled. The announcement was made on Tuesday via the festival's official website and social media.«Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made in America festival will no longer be taking place,» the statement read. «This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation.

Plans to offload some of Manchester United’s fringe players are in full swing at Old Trafford. To comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, United will be hoping to recoup significant transfer fees over the next few transfer windows.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Capitol Music Group and Motown Records have entered into a partnership with Glass Window Entertainment, the label founded by multiplatinum rapper Dominique “Lil Baby” Jones, with rapper Rylo Rodriguez as the first artist signed to the partnership. Terms were not disclosed, although sources tell Variety it is a multi-million-dollar deal.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Highly touted singer-songwriter Joy Oladakun will headline the AB Block Party, a new Nashville festival taking place over Labor Day weekend at Hillsboro Village with a focus on diverse musicians from Tennessee and across the South. Taking place on September 4, the all-ages event will also feature performances by Daniel Nunnelee, Southern Avenue, Brooke Alexx, Denitia, Jack Schneider, Leon Majcen and Nashville’s Grace Bowers, Paul McDonald, and comedian Josh Black. Nashville mayoral candidate Freddie O’Connell will do a special DJ set, and WKRN anchor Blake Eason will serve as emcee.