Music Observer

BTS Advocates Against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes During White House Trip

On Tuesday, K-pop icon BTS visited the White House for the first time, delivering statements concerning Asian inclusion and representation on the final day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

The group was introduced by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, taking turns behind the microphone to talk about the rampant anti-Asian hate crimes prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the unifying influence of music. 

“It’s a great honor to be invited to the White House today to discuss important issues of anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion, and diversity,” band leader RM started. 

“We are devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes, including Asian American hate crimes,” Jimin then spoke. “We’d like to take the opportunity to voice ourselves once again.” 

“We feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending languages and cultural barriers,” Jungkook stated. “We believe music is always an amazing and wonderful unifier of all things.” 

“It’s not wrong to be different,” Suga added. “Equality opens up when we embrace all of our differences.” 

V then added, “Everyone has their own history. We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person.” 

President Joe Biden has inked into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act last May. The law facilitates the Justice Department’s review of hate crimes and appoints a department head to administer the effort. 

“President Biden has previously spoken about his commitment to combating the surge of anti-Asian crimes and signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in May 2021 to provide law enforcement with resources to identify, investigate, and report hate crimes and ensure that hate crimes information is more accessible to AA and NHPI communities,” the White House said about BTS’ visit. 

According to the White House statement, BTS will also talk about their “platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world” with the president during the meeting. 

The White House visit came following BTS’ advocacy against anti-Asian violence and discrimination the previous year, after the three different spa shootings aimed at Asian women. 

“We send our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” the group said. “We feel grief and anger.” 

“We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason. Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks. But these experiences were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem,” said BTS, referring to moments that they’ve suffered discrimination. 

The statement added, “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I, and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”

Elvis Costello Reveals Reunion with Band Rusty as they Announce Debut Album

Before he was part of the Attractions, Elvis Costello – who was then widely known as D.P. MacMagnus – was initially a member of Allan Mayes’ Liverpool rock band Rusty in 1972. He was then famous for the name D.P. MacManus. 

But even though the rock band toured extensively, they did not make it to a recording studio. 

Today, Costello has reunited with Mayes for their eagerly awaited debut album. The Resurrection Of Rust will be released on June 10 through EMI/Capitol. 

The 67-year-old singer-songwriter had called the album “the record we would have cut when we were 18 if anyone had let us.” 

Produced by Costello and Sebastian Krys, the LP spans six songs pulled from Rusty’s 1972 setlists, including covers of Nick Lowe’s “Surrender to the Rhythm” and “Don’t Lose Your Grip On Love,” Jim Ford’s “I’m Ahead If I Can Quit While I’m Behind,” as well as two originals; “Warm House” and “Maureen and Sam.” 

Also, among the songs included in the record are arrangements of Neil Young’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” and “Dance, Dance, Dance,” with the latter starring Costello on electric violin. 

The Resurrection of Rust spotlights Costello and Mayes, backed by Costello’s band, the Imposters. 

As of now, fans can pick up a copy at Costello’s current tour dates. In addition, the Resurrection of Rust will be extensively available on June 10 (July 1 for US customers) and vinyl releases in the summertime. 

Check out this statement from Elvis Costello below.

Elvis Costello:

In 2021, my pal and singing partner in the Liverpool clubs, Allan Mayes wrote to me from his home in Austin, Texas. He wanted to remind me that it would soon be fifty years since I joined his band, “Rusty”, just after our first meeting at a party on New Year’s Eve, 1971.

The group was then a quartet, with Allan’s school friend, Alan Brown ‐ who would play bass until he left for university later that year ‐ and there was also another vocalist called “Dave”, whose main credentials as a singer were the ownership of a microphone and tambourine. A month later, after a couple of pretty ragged gigs, Allan and I became the only vocalists and there was not a tambourine in sight. Show business is a cruel game.

We would rehearse in my bedroom in West Derby or at Allan’s house in the shadow of Walton Gaol, where his father was a medical officer, working our way through two pretty similar stacks of mostly American albums, looking for songs to sing.

Our repertoire did include a few of our own compositions ‐ lyrics written in various shades of purple ‐ but they were often put in the shade by the songs of Neil Young, Van Morrison and two Bob Dylan tunes; one made famous by The Byrds and the other co‐written, by Rick Danko of The Band. We played tunes by Randy Newman, John Martyn and the psychedelic band, Help Yourself. One of our early duets was David Crosby’s epic, “Wooden Ships” before which Allan would jokingly ask if I had my lucky rabbit’s foot about me, as I was about to venture into an unsteady guitar solo on my amplified Harmony Sovereign.

Our secret weapon was certainly a stack of Nick Lowe’s songs written for Brinsley Schwarz, which were not so very well‐known then. I think some casual listeners might have actually imagined we’d written them and I can’t say we always corrected this misapprehension but I suppose we’d acted as unpaid pitchmen for Nick by the time we met him, when the Brinsleys came to play “The Cavern”.

For the next year or so Rusty played the folk clubs and pubs on either side of the Mersey, acting as a musical interlude at poetry evenings organized by Harold and Sylvia Hikins or provided background music to nervous conversation at a lonely hearts gathering held in the RAF Club on Bold Street.

We were paid exactly nothing for playing “Mary Help Of Christians” ‐ a Catholic girls school, known locally as “Mary Feed The Pigeons” ‐ and opened up for the Natural Acoustic Band at John Lennon’s old school, Quarry Bank High and then for the Irish duo, Tir Na Nog, in the little recital room at St. George’s Hall, where Charles Dickens had once given a public reading. That show was on the eve of my rainy departure for the Bickershaw Festival at which I contracted something close to trench foot while watching the Grateful Dead in a sodden field.

We even took one fairly disastrous booking as a wedding band on Cantril Farm for which we hired a drummer and had to rescue the night with an impromptu medley of Chuck Berry songs. When teenage girls at our Friday night pub residency, in nearby Widnes, demanded the hits of Slade and T.Rex, we tried to ease their hunger for Marc Bolan with a couple of Lindisfarne songs, which were at least in the pop charts.

It was all part of learning your trade as we were certainly only earning enough money to put petrol in Allan’s Ford Anglia and, failing this, ran our own musical evenings until the club owner of “The Yankee Clipper” realized that our Tuesday night crowd only nursed one pint of beer all night and didn’t put enough in the till to pay either the barman or the electricity bill and we were sent on our way to find safer harbour at “The Temple Bar”.

Nevertheless, by the summer of ’72 we were playing up to five or six nights a week. I was still at school, supposedly studying for my A‐Levels. Once I got a job, we had to schedule our Rusty gigs around my shift work as a computer operator until early in 1973, when I decided to leave Liverpool looking for something and took to this long and crooked road. I asked if Allan wanted to come with me but I had a place to live with my Dad and he had a steady job to give up and I suppose I thought we might travel lighter and further alone.

Allan had always been the more accomplished, presentable performer ‐ even then, I looked like a sack of spuds that had been left out in the rain. He continued to play the local club circuit after I left town, took over a group he re‐named, “Restless” (formerly “Severed Head”) and even made raids down from Merseyside to hit the London pub circuit of 1975 and found themselves playing the same venue and same week as my own semi‐pro band, Flip City. Allan recorded a solo album in the early 80s before traveling the world, playing on cruise ships in the Pacific and in oil worker bars in Alaska, before settling in Texas, where he still plays other people’s songs that other people want to hear in a strong true voice.

Allan Mayes has been a hard working musician for more than the fifty years since we met. So, when he asked me if I wanted to celebrate this anniversary by getting together to play a few songs that we used to know. I said, “Absolutely not!” “Let’s make the record we would have cut when we were 18, if anyone had let us”. And this is what you will hear on The Resurrection of Rust.

The EP contains new renditions of songs from our 1972 club repertoire; our duets on two Nick Lowe tunes from 1972; “Surrender to the Rhythm” and “Don’t Lose Your Grip on Love”‐ and closes with an arrangement incorporating Neil Young’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” and “Dance, Dance, Dance” which marks my recording debut on the electric violin.

The stand out for me is Allan’s touching rendition of “I’m Ahead If I Can Quit While I’m Behind”, a song written by the Kentucky songwriter, Jim Ford, who wrote hits for Aretha Franklin, P.J. Proby and Bobby Womack.

Most of our own early compositions from the Rusty days exist only in lyrical form, scrawled in our old notebooks, the tunes long forgotten but we did have a reel‐to‐reel demo of “Warm House”, a song which I began when I was 17 and which could be found in nearly all of our set lists and found here with full vocal and band arrangement driven by mandolin.

Remarkably, Allan still has an old school exercise book in which he kept a record of all the venues we ever played. “The Resurrection Of Rust” record sleeve is decorated with a collage of flyers, posters, playbills and diary entries of the time along with some of our setlist from that exercise book which also acted as an accounts ledger for our rather modest earnings, hitting the heady heights of £17 ‐ our largest fee coming at our very final gig, opening up for Cockney Rebel ‐ but frequently amounting to no more than a couple of quid and with several dispiriting entries which read: “Paid: Nil”.

The second original tune is a co‐written portrait of a struggling cabaret act called, “Maureen and Sam”, the verses are taken by Allan with very spare accompaniment before I arrive in the bridges with a distorted electric guitar, piano, bass and drums, all of which I recorded in the basement of Sentry Sound.

Keen listeners may recognize the theme of this song as one I re‐wrote as “Ghost Train” and recorded in 1980, changing “Sam” to “Stan” and setting my new lyric to an entirely different melody. Allan and I quickly re‐discovered the vocal blend that convinced us that we might conquer the world (or at least Widnes) when we were teenagers but to bring Rusty into the 21st Century, I enlisted the talents of The Imposters and we were delighted to invite our old pal, Bob Andrews, to revisit his signature Hammond organ and piano parts on the Brinsley Schwarz showstopper, “Surrender To The Rhythm”.

Like most things today, these sessions connected Sentry Sound, Vancouver with Austin, TX, Santa Fe, NM and Los Angeles, CA by the magic of the musical telegraph.

Arcade Fire Appears in Saturday Night Live as Musical Guests

If they haven’t watched the episode yet, Indie rock band Arcade Fire fans will love this news.

This week’s Saturday Night Live was blessed with the appearance of Arcade Fire, performing “Unconditional (Lookout Kid)” and “The Lightning I, II” during the episode hosted by Benedict Cumberbatch. They also played “End of the Empire I-IV (Sagittarius A*)” during the credit roll at the end of the show.

After they finished their second song of the evening, Win Butler gave a message to the audience, appearing to back up abortion rights.

“A woman’s right to choose forever and ever and ever, amen,” he stated.

This week’s episode of SNL was the fifth time the band appeared as musical guests on the show – after appearances in 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2018. In March, Arcade Fire revealed their newest album, WE, with the rollout of “The Lightning I, II.” They released “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” from the album in April.

Will Butler announced his separation from the band in the same week of WE’s release, saying, “I left at the end of last year after the new record was complete.” He added, “There was no acute reason beyond that I’ve changed – and the band has changed – over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things.”

He later revealed to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that his younger brother brought pride to him by “doing his own thing.”

The band was part of the Coachella lineup, playing in the Mojave Tent on April 15, but they were added in late.

Arcade Fire recently announced their tour.

The band is scheduled for a tour in Europe and North America this year, starting in Dublin at the end of August. Beck will headline the opening for the band in North America, with Feist snagging the support slot for their European schedules.

Kanpe, which backs vulnerable communities in Haiti, will be the beneficiary for a dollar, pound, and euro from every ticket sale of Arcade Fire’s tour, in collaboration with Plus1.

Next week’s episode of SNL will see Post Malone and Selena Gomez as musical guests.

Check out this list below for Arcade Fire’s tour schedule:

08-30 Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena

09-02 Birmingham, England – Utilita Arena Birmingham

09-03 Manchester, England – AO Arena

09-05 Glasgow, Scotland – OVO Hydro

09-08 London, England – The O2

09-11 Lille, France – Zenith

09-12 Antwerp, Belgium – Sportpaleis

09-14 Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena

09-15 Paris, France – Accor Arena

09-17 Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum

09-18 Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle

09-21 Madrid, Spain – WiZink Center

09-22 Lisbon, Portugal – Campo Pequeno

09-23 Lisbon, Portugal – Campo Pequeno

09-25 Bordeaux, France – Arkea Arena

09-26 Nantes, France – Zenith de Nantes

09-28 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome

09-29 Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena

10-01 Warsaw, Poland – COS Torwar

10-28 Washington, D.C. – The Anthem

11-01 Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion

11-04 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

11-08 Boston, MA – MGM Fenway Music Hall

11-10 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena 

Read Also: Travis Scott to Headline Three Primavera Sound Festivals

From Entrepreneur to Artist Manager, Alex Akleh Tells All

Entrepreneurship is one of the most sought-after careers in the modern-day economy, as it can reward those brave enough to venture into it with financial freedom. However, while many are blessed with resources and the financial backing of their families, some entrepreneurs have had to work tooth and nail to achieve similar success. Alex Akleh is among those who fall into the latter. A self-taught entrepreneur, his dedication led him to the development of Syndicate Management, where he manages artists like ACRAZE and Rated R.

Alex Akleh is an artist manager, brand strategist, investor, and entrepreneur whose early life molded his hustling spirit and instilled a drive for a better life. Alex’s dad was in prison throughout his childhood, setting a difficult life ahead of him. There were moments when Alex had to break the law to survive, but his life turned around when he found a mentor. The meeting drove Alex to ask for a job, and more often than not, Alex would be put into projects that others did not want to do.

Regardless of where he was put, Alex was determined not to go through the hell he had long endured again. Although he had little knowledge about home renovations, Alex persevered. He managed his own team with employees much older than him within a year. At the age of 20, Alex played a prominent role in turning a company’s gross earnings from $300,000 to $1.5 million, proving his undeniable passion for business.

Since then, Alex Akleh has delved into other ventures, creating and operating his own events company, Injoy Events. Under his leadership, Injoy Events quickly gained momentum and became a success in Orlando, partnering with the area’s top venues and promotional companies.

At the same time, he was managing his best friend and artist ACRAZE, who was finding his own sounds and making a presence in the greater Orlando area. The artist spent years releasing music and fighting to play shows that sometimes had less than people in the crowd, but it was a shifting in genre direction that led to a tremendous change in the trajectory of their grind. Together, they have been hustling in the best way Alex knows with the resources available to leave a lasting legacy around his vision and work ethic.

Alex is renowned for taking pleasure in helping others achieve success and motivating his team always to dream big. He often expresses his gratitude for the achievements that come his way by giving back to the community in any way he can, bringing those Alex surrounds himself with on his journey up the ladder. As a leader, the entrepreneur challenges the status quo with his achievements from a young age, giving the knowledge and experience to offer a fresh perspective to the future of music management.

Alex Akleh’s achievements are recognized by the monumental progress of each business he’s built. His impact is sure to be widely renowned, with people acknowledging his unique skill set and forever changing the game within the music industry.

Orly Raquel Signs a Representation Deal with Pop Cautious Records, Announces June 4 as Release Date for Album, ‘Venus ~ Born of the Sea’

For many, music and art is a way of life, and Melbourne-based artist Orly Raquel has proven that to be her case. The songstress, poetess and psychotherapist has woven stories and poetry through her acoustic melodies that have captured souls and snatched hearts.

To further engrave her voice into more people’s minds, she has announced her upcoming debut album ‘Venus ~ Born of the Sea’, slated for release on June 4, 2022.

Orly Raquel’s music creates a dreamy and sensual mood as her lyrics focus on themes of love, desire, femininity, and archetypes of the collective unconscious. She recently joined record label Pop Cautious Records to handle her representation and has hit the ground running with a slew of projects in the works. Apart from her upcoming album, her song “Chaos and Bones” will also be featured in Pop Cautious Records’ compilation album titled, ‘Women in Music’.

Orly Raquel pays utmost attention to her songwriting as she aims to create strong connections between her deeper self and her lyrics. In her words, “Writing music is very much healing process for me – a way to tap into the subconscious material within my own psyche and to create art and poetry from that place as a way to integrate the medicine into my life.” Her songwriting abilities put her in the spotlight and drew Pop Cautious’ attention to her talents. Orly Raquel’s music has a classic feel while still sounding modern enough to engage a youthful audience. It offers a perfect blend of centuries-old poetry and modern melodies.

She aims to connect with Indie folk fans and every music fan who wants to support women in music. “I am a woman. That is where my connection to the feminine essence emerges,” she said. Coming from a family that values art inspired Orly immensely. Her mother was a poet and a respected teacher of Jewish Mysticism. “I grew up on poetry from notable names like Leonard Cohen, T. S Eliot and William Blake. I inherited my love of words through my mother’s milk,” she said.

She draws inspiration from and highly respects nature. Furthermore, she disclosed that she learned from an early age that the universe is interconnected and created from the same substance. Philosophies like these influenced her mind and inspired her music and lyrics as she grew to be a singer and songwriter.

As preparations for her debut album, ‘Venus ~ Born of the Sea’, swing into top gear, Orly Raquel and Pop Cautious Records have hopes that it will land on the ears of a wide audience. 

Over the next few years, Orly Raquel sees herself following her intuition and opportunities for her to express herself further as an artist.

 Stream the new album here: 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3SMGfnV9dI4Z7tc9o91Oor?si=B9CXJtGUS5C4cQCNlOn44A

Keenan Shotwell: How His Music has Brought a Sense of Hope and Change

Music can stir emotions and make anyone feel as if they are transported to another time and place. Memphis-based musician Keenan Shotwell believes in the power of music to make people realize and celebrate all that they have in common with other people. No matter what genre or style of music, Shotwell believes that it can touch people’s lives. The music he creates does not stick to any one genre. Instead, he prefers to make songs that bridge the gap between different styles, making for a more enriching experience

Keenan Shotwell started playing music at a young age. He practiced music at the Jackson Studios during the early 90s. After graduating from Whitehaven High School in 1993, Shotwell mastered the piano and organ while a student at the University of Memphis. As his skills grew and his talent flourished, Shotwell began making a name for himself as a captivating musician in his hometown. Soon, he would be known in the entire region for his striking creative ear for the musical arts.

As a musician and songwriter, Keenan Shotwell pays particular attention to the lyrics he writes. He explained, “Lyrics create the content that reaches the heartstrings of a person’s life. No matter what genre or style, the lyrics will be the point of connection for many listeners. Through the words I use in my songs, I hope that I can help break down barriers and create an artistic vehicle that many can relate to. I want my music and my songs to be a force for good.”

Music has historically had an impact on many lives, and Keenan Shotwell aims to keep with that tradition by making music that makes people feel deeply about certain things. The musician has also stated that he is not afraid to write songs about complex topics because those are still a part of life. “I’m not afraid to write about abortion, discrimination, war, and other topics considered difficult or taboo. For me, real change happens when I write songs and create music through the lens of others,” he explained. “And given the content of some of my songs, I know that most people may  not  receive it well the first time they hear it, but they will appreciate my songs down the line once they realize the value of the message I convey through my music.”

With such a sought-after talent in his hometown, this enabled Keenan Shotwell to perform with various other artists while earning numerous awards. He won the Verizon Wireless How Sweet the Sound award twice. In addition, Shotwell has shared the stage with several renowned artists such as Melba Moore, DeDe Bridgewater, and Kurt Whalum and performed for the MLK50 Tribute and The Herbie Hancock Tribute. His music has also graced films, one of which is the 2010 film The Grace Card.

Keenan Shotwell recently announced the release date of his newest song on May 13, 2022. In an Instagram post, Shotwell said that his single “Touch the Sky” is now available on all music platforms. “This project may have taken me a little longer than I anticipated, but it will now be heard all over the world,” the musician said.

Music has been a constant companion to Keenan Shotwell since childhood, growing up learning how to play music and write songs. With his impactful lyrics, Shotwell aims to inspire his listeners. He said, “My ultimate goal is to make music that moves people and encourages them to grow into better versions of themselves.” www.keenanshotwell.com.

Gifted Musician Cowboy Tre Putting Country Rap on the Forefront of the Industry

Breaking out into the mainstream music scene is no easy feat, especially with the fierce competition and cutthroat environment. However, one gifted singer and songwriter is making waves for his unique style and unrivaled musical prowess, Cowboy Tre.

Born Trey Jiles, the artist hails from Nashville, Tennessee, which is known for its vibrant music scene. But even though he was exposed to the industry at an early age, he did not pursue a music career right away.

In fact, he used to be a day laborer, which took him all over, including Atlanta, Georgia, where he held a job in cutting fields. He also worked at a gas station and as a food service crew in Hamilton County, Chattanooga. 

Yet despite having several occupations, the young man always held a special spot in his heart for music. For many years, he consistently honed his craft as a songwriter. As a testament to his incredible skills, his composition “Curious” was picked up by the renowned artist Mario. 

Eventually, in 2018, Cowboy Tre finally decided to go after his passion full time. He has since released several singles such as “Value of a Dollar,” “Animal Instincts,” and “Roof Off,” all of which have gained the approval of fans and music enthusiasts alike. 

Aside from his exceptional artistry, what allowed the talented musician to create a thriving career is his one-of-a-kind style. His songs are unlike any other and have no affiliation with any other country-rap artist.

He manages to stand in a league of his own by developing the unique musical style, Countryx, which is an amalgamation of modern, urban, and country music. In addition, he also created a brand-new genre he calls rhythm and country or RNC for short.

On top of that, the intuitive singer takes inspiration from a myriad of famous and iconic personalities in the music scene, including Cowboy Troy, Derricks Bentley, Drake, Trippi Redd, Bing Crosby, and Tupac.

Most importantly, Cowboy Tre’s impeccable character and excellent work ethic have helped him accomplish great success. In addition, he has shown the world what a true black cowboy from Nashville is with his fantastic manners and disposition. 

Now, his greatest vision is to generate maximum market penetration by remaining likable to listeners and the masses. But of course, the visionary is also determined to remain authentic to his distinct musical style and artistry.

Moving forward, the remarkable artist aims to further solidify his reputation as the best country rap artist of his time. He plans to prove this by creating more music and elevating his professional life. Additionally, he intends to scale the operations of his independent publishing company House Recrdz Publishing, LLC. But above all, Cowboy Tre wants to revolutionize the mainstream music industry and put Nashville on the map as the forerunner of the country rap sound.

 

The Social Media Agency, Clonefluence, Aims to Create Successful Music Artists

The agency is helping music artists create their own distinct identities via their marketing strategies.

Music is a powerful medium that unites people from diverse backgrounds and has a strong presence globally. The music industry has been one of the fastest-growing industries the world has ever seen, with hordes of talented artists trying to make their mark in a bid to attain the top position. However, owing to the lack of appropriate resources that can help market themselves to a wide audience base, a majority of them fail to make it to the limelight. In situations like these, they need a proper backing or a strong entity that can push and showcase the skills that can help them grow as an artist. This is where Justin Grome’s Social Media Agency, Clonefluence comes into the picture as they are well-equipped to handle the artist’s affairs, right from managing their work to publicity to marketing and everything in between that can help them gain a strong foothold in this fiercely competitive industry.

Clonefluence was established in New Jersey in 2017 and has since helped many artists establish their careers, which were on the verge of getting wiped out owing to lack of proper exposure. Speaking about his agency. Justin says, “social media is an extremely powerful tool which if used rightly can work wonders. It has the potential to reach a global audience which can help catapult an artist’s career to dizzying heights owing to wide exposure. The basic objective of Clonefluence is to help these aspiring artists establish themselves and showcase their work widely so that their career gets the right push.” Today, the agency is known to put one’s career right on track by implementing its marketing strategies which help the music artists establish a base.

Justin expresses that his agency implements perfect strategies when it comes to social media growth, Spotify growth, public relations, and any other marketing campaigns that help in getting the music artist’s career on a fast track. The impact that Clonefluence has created is evident by the fact that it is regarded as the most efficient and effective social media agency of present times, which has helped many artists establish their presence amongst a sea of talents who occupy the music space. The agency is rated as the #1 social media agency in the music industry speaks volumes about its success. Justin states, “… As a brand, we always want to continue to grow and help countless artists achieve their dreams.”

To know more, follow Clonefluence on Instagram – @Clonefluence.

Top Gun Sequel Top Gun: Maverick to Feature New Lady Gaga Song “Hold My Hand”

Photo: Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Lady Gaga has been confirmed to release a new song this Tuesday, May 3, titled “Hold My Hand” for the new Tom Cruise movie Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to 1986’s Top Gun.

“Hold My Hand” is produced by Gaga and BloodPop®, with additional production from Benjamin Rice. 

The movie version will also feature additional production and score music by Harold Faltermeyer and Hans Zimmer.

On social media, Lady Gaga wrote: 

“When I wrote this song for Top Gun: Maverick, I didn’t even realize the multiple layers it spanned across the film’s heart, my own psyche, and the nature of the world we’ve been living in. I’ve been working on it for years, perfecting it, trying to make it ours. I wanted to make music into a song where we share our deep need to both be understood and try to understand each other—a longing to be close when we feel so far away and an ability to celebrate life’s heroes. I’m so grateful to Tom and Hans and [director Joseph Kosinski] for this opportunity—and it’s been a beautiful experience working with them. Me, BloodPop, Ben Rice and everyone else who worked on it with us are so excited to share it with you. This song is a love letter to the world during and after a very hard time. I’ve wanted you to hear it for so long. And I’m so excited to give it to you on May 3. ‘Hold My Hand.’

🎶 But if you decide to

I’ll ride in this life with you

I won’t let go till the end 🎶”

Lady Gaga’s has previously won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Shallow” in A Star is Born and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2016 Oscars for “Til It Happens to You.”

Lady Gaga collaborated with Tony Bennett last year in Love for Sale, the Chromatica remix album Dawn of Chromatic, and a 10th anniversary edition of Born This Way. She also recently performed Love for Sale songs at the 2022 Grammy Awards. 

She will finally go on tour for Chromatica starting July.

Top Gun: Maverick hits theaters on Friday, May 27.

Travis Scott to Headline Three Primavera Sound Festivals

Photo: Getty Images for Coachella

Travis Scott will be marking his first public performance at three Primavera Sound festivals since the Astroworld 2021 music festival that left ten dead and countless injured. This public performance follows the two private performances earlier this year.

The rapper is slated to headline three Primavera Sound festivals in South America, performing in São Paulo, Brazil on November 6; Bueno Aires, Argentina on November 12; and Santiago, Chile on November 13.

TMZ also reports that Scott is slated to appear at Miami’s E11even nightclub on May 7 as a host and not a performer, a source told Pitchfork.

Scott also performed a short set at a private pre-Oscars house party in Bel Air, California in late March, TMZ reported. Videos of Scott performing “Sicko Mode” circulated online that following morning. He also appeared at a Coachella afterparty, where he performed five of his own songs during a short DJ set in a La Quinta venue.

Last week, Scott joined Future and 808 Mafia producer Southside on the new song “Hold That Heat,” marking Scott’s first widely available single since Astroworld 2021.