MusiCares’ New Chief Laura Segura Talks COVID-19 Fund, the Challenges Ahead and How We Can Help

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAfter a few days of rumors and some revived activity on social media, Kanye West has dropped a new song and video called “Wash Us in the Blood,” which features Travis Scott and was mixed by Dr. Dre.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAn MTV rep confirmed to Variety last month that the network was working with city officials to hold the VMAs at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on August 30, and said further details would be forthcoming.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Weeknd on Monday announced that he has made a $1 million donation to coronavirus relief, giving $500,000 each to MusiCares and to the front-line hospital workers of Scarborough Health Network, the hospital network in the Ontario city where he was raised.

The “America’s Got Talent” judges called in to “The Kelly Clarkson Show” where Heidi Klum spoke about missing shows because of a COVID-19 scare.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOne silver lining of the pandemic has been an absolute avalanche of songs dropping every week — there are 99 in Spotify’s “New Music Friday” and we’ve heard loads more. There were fewer protest-themed songs this week than in the past couple, and while we certainly applaud and encourage social relevance in song — something that was all too rare before last month — the occasional feel-good song is not unwelcome.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs one might guess from their name — which is pronounced “krungbin” and means “engine fly” in Thai — Houston-based trio Khruangbin is not intentionally aimed at the pop market. With stated influences like East Asian surf-rock, psychedelia, West African and, of course, Thai music, the group’s sound pits Mark Speer’s deceptively complex yet warm and approachable guitar work over the steady pulse of bassist Laura Lee Ochoa and drummer Donald Johnson.

Dennis Quaid is swooning for his new wife, Laura Savoie.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSinger-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens, accompanied virtually by virtuoso cellist Yo-Yo Ma, has released a new song called “Build a House” in honor of Juneteenth.“This song, ‘Build a House,’ came knocking a week ago and I had to let it in,” Giddens wrote in a Twitter message accompanying the nearly five-minute-long song, which features split video of her performing it with Ma.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThough it was just five months ago, January 2020, was a very different time for Tionna “Tank” Ball and her band Tank & The Bangas, not to mention the entire world.Just days before traveling to Los Angeles for the band’s first Grammy Week, where they were among the nominees for Best New Artist, Ball, her bandmates and over two dozen of their creative friends and family gathered in their hometown of New Orleans at Marigny Studios.

Celebs are bringing children’s stories to life for a good cause.

Celebs are bringing children’s stories to life for a good cause.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterMusiCares, the Recording Academy’s charitable wing, has appointed Laura Segura to the organization’s newly created role of executive director.“On behalf of everyone at the Recording Academy, we are so excited and proud that Laura Segura is moving up to lead MusiCares,” said Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. “Laura’s incredible work here over the past seven years has proven her to be an invaluable member of the Academy’s team.

Laura Segura has risen to executive director at MusiCares, a new position that will oversee the entire organization. With immediate effect, Segura will oversee MusiCares' annual budget of $17 million, and lead a team that works across development, fundraising and delivery of health and financial aid programs.MusiCares is the Recording Academy's charitable arm.

Andreas Wiseman International EditorEXCLUSIVE: Ordinarily, the Cannes Film Festival would have wrapped a few weeks ago after two weeks of glamorous red carpets, packed cinemas and deal-making.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, the past few weeks have seen a new wave of protest songs, and Grammy-winning R&B singer-songwriter H.E.R.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorTo say that interim Recording Academy president/CEO Harvey Mason jr. has had a challenging first few months on the job is an understatement of epic proportions.

coronavirus pandemic.Initially launched in April, AIM’s Crisis Fund has already helped nearly 200 people in the music industry — including tour managers, live crew, sound engineers, producers, agents, managers, promoters and publicists — who have lost out on work or had projects cancelled due to the lockdown.These 200 beneficiaries include contractors and freelancers who were due to work with artists such as Bonobo, FKA Twigs, Fontaines D.C., Idles and Laura Marling.AIM point out that

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has set his players the challenge of emulating the opening day performance against Chelsea when they take on Tottenham in their first game back. United have been without football for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, but are set to restart their season in just under two weeks time when they travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.