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NBA All-Star Anthony Davis has set an executive team for his new project Jakm3n Productions. Davis will continue to serve as the company’s CEO while producer Arik Burks will be COO and Keith Chamberlain, who manages logistics at the Los Angeles Lakers, will be Cao. The production company said its goal was to “create a platform for change by embracing diversity, championing meaningful stories, and giving back to the community, making a positive impact both on and off the screen.”

“We have an incredible team at Jakm3n,” said Davis. “Arik and Keith bring a wealth of experience and a shared passion for our mission. Together, we’re building a company that values creativity, authenticity, and social responsibility.”

Most recently, Jakm3n has co-financed and produced with Toonz Media Group the new animated film “Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk,” directed by Tara Whitaker and John D. Eraklis. The film reads “Different...

NBA All-Star Anthony Davis’ Jakm3n Productions has named its executive team, with Arik Burks and Keith Chamberlain boarding as COO and Cao respectively.

Jakm3n Productions is a multifaceted production company that finances, produces and develops projects across several mediums. Davis is a 9x NBA All-Star, who began his basketball career with the New Orleans Pelicans and currently plays on the Los Angeles Lakers. He is CEO of Jakm3n.

Jakm3n has come on to co-finance and co-produce, alongside Toonz Media Group, the animated feature Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk from directors Tara Whitaker and John D. Eraklis and written/created by Ciaran Crampton. Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk follows the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery, as he learns that being different isn’t a weakness, but a superpower. With the help of his loyal, oddball animal friends, Pierre finds the courage to speak up, break tradition, and change his world for the better.

Fox News is planning a barrage of high tech features for its election night coverage, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

With tens of millions of people tuning in for election coverage on Nov. 5, every network is pulling out all the stops when it comes to technology, and figuring out creative ways to display data, close races, and other returns on election day.

Fox News, which is the most-watched cable news channel in the country by a wide margin, is no exception. Its election coverage will be led by anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum in New York, who will hold fort in Studio M, Fox’s massive studio set within its headquarters.

Among the enhancements is an even more tech-infused “Bill”-board, the interactive segment with Bill Hemmer digging into exit polls and voting results. By now every cable news channel has an anchor or correspondent with a touchscreen of...

On Saturday night The Voice UK enters the Callbacks round. In this episode, the teams of Tom Jones, Will.i.am, LeAnn Rimes, and Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones face the challenging task of narrowing down their acts. Joining the coaches are guest mentors Hannah Waddingham, Perrie Edwards, and Griff, who lend their expertise to help select […]

The Voice UK: The Blind Auditions 7 / The Callbacks...

October is Adhd Awareness Month, a time to celebrate neurodiversity, remove stigmas, and share success stories. Adhd Wise Squirrels, a popular podcast dedicated to late-diagnosed adults with Adhd, is celebrating with over 50,000 downloads and counting. Since its launch, the acclaimed podcast has been a valuable resource for adults with Adhd, offering insights, support, and community.

“This is my most popular podcast since my first podcast, Two Boobs and a Baby, back in 2005.” Says host Dave Delaney. He jokes, “Had I been diagnosed and treated for my Adhd back then, I would have stuck with one podcast and would now be found kicking back on a mountaintop with Joe Rogan, Marc Maron, and Tim Ferriss. But that’s okay because Adhd Wise Squirrels is the most important show I’ve created in nearly twenty years of podcasting.”

Adhd Wise Squirrels' mission is to remove stigmas and provide resources for late-diagnosed adults with Adhd.

The Voice UK continues its search for the nation’s top vocal talent with the fifth round of blind auditions. On Saturday, 28 September 2024, at 8:30 pm, join host Emma Willis as she presents another episode of the singing competition. The coaches, Tom Jones, Will.i.am, LeAnn Rimes, and Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, will be […]

The Voice UK: The Blind Auditions 5...

Runway, the generative AI company that recently inked a first-of-its-kind deal with Lionsgate, will dole out grants of up to $1 million to filmmakers working on AI-powered projects.

Runway is launching The Hundred Film Fund, an initiative to help produce and fund as many as 100 short films and feature-length movies that use generative AI technology to tell their stories.

The funding grants will range from $5,000 to $1 million and decisions on applications will typically be made within 14 days of submission, according to Runway. The company also is offering up to $2 million in credits to use Runway’s gen-ai system. Interested filmmakers can submit applications at this link.

To evaluate pitches for the fund, Runway has assembled an advisory panel of tech and entertainment leaders. Initial advisors are: Jane Rosenthal, film producer and co-founder of Tribeca Festival; Richard Kerris, VP, Gm of media and entertainment, Nvidia (which is an investor in Runway); artist,...

The Voice UK continues its search for the nation’s top vocal talent with the fourth round of blind auditions. On Saturday, 21 September 2024, at 8:30 pm, join host Emma Willis as she presents another exciting episode of the singing competition. The coaches, including Tom Jones, Will.i.am, LeAnn Rimes, and the duo of Tom Fletcher […]

The Voice UK: The Blind Auditions 4...

The Voice UK returns with its energetic third round of blind auditions, as the coaches continue their quest to discover the nation’s top vocal talent. In this episode, airing on ITV1 on Saturday, 14 September 2024, at 8:30 pm, Emma Willis takes centre stage as our host, while Will.i.am, Tom Jones, LeAnn Rimes, and the […]

The Voice UK: The Blind Auditions 3...

Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian bossa nova legend who became a Grammy-winning international star with his band Brasil ’66, has died at the age of 83.

The musician’s family confirmed he died September 5 in a statement they shared with Rolling Stone on Friday, adding that Mendes “passed away peacefully” in Los Angeles surrounded by his family.

“Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona. For the last several months, his health had been challenged by the effects of long-term Covid,” the family’s statement said.

On a new episode of “will.i.a.m Presents the Fyi Show” on The 10s Spot (Ch. 11), will.i.am revealed that his recent experience studying at Harvard Business School was not his first time on the Ivy League campus.

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When a fellow Harvard student invited him to party in the dorms, will.i.am said he told him, “No, no, bro. I’m studying in the dorm. And what you call partying is not my kind of party because I party for a living. And so I need to study so I can change the next version of how I’m gonna be living.”

He shared that he’s only performed at a few clubs during his time at Harvard — “and Harvard clubs are different from my touring clubs,” he added — which reminded him of...

LeAnn Rimes joined the cast of The Voice in two different countries. While Rimes struggled in her first stint in Australia, she seems to have found her groove in the UK version of the show. This was proven when she jumped up and ran onto the stage to perform with one of the contestants.

However, one of the best moments was when the contestant poked some fun at Rimes, causing all the coaches to start laughing. Here is what happened on The Voice.

The Voice Singer Shades LeAnn Rimes

The Voice UK just premiered its new season this past week. Three are four coaches for the new season. Will.i.am returns as the one coach who has been there since the show’s inception in 2012. Tom Jones is also back. He has been in every season except the fifth.

LeAnn Rimes on The Voice | YouTube

There are also two new judges...

The Voice UK returns for a new season, with host Emma Willis and coaches Tom Jones and Will.i.am, joined by American singer-songwriter LeAnn Rimes and McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, who will be sharing a double chair. The season premiere, airing on ITV1 on Saturday, 31 August 2024, at 8:00 Pm, kicks off with […]

The Voice UK: Season 2024, Episode 1...

On Saturday 31 August 2024, ITV broadcasts The Voice UK!

Season 13 Episode 1 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Voice UK” promises to be an exciting event for fans of the show. Emma Willis is back as the host, bringing her charm and energy to the stage. The reality talent show continues to showcase unsigned singers who are hoping to make their dreams come true. Contestants will compete for a recording contract, a significant cash prize, and a trip to Universal Resort in Orlando.

This season introduces a fresh coaching line-up that is sure to draw attention. Will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones return, bringing their experience and unique styles to the competition. Joining them are the talented LeAnn Rimes, known for her powerful voice and impressive career. In a first for “The Voice UK,” Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones from the band McFly will share a double chair, adding a fun twist to the coaching dynamic.

Lit agent Claire Lundberg came to the defense of the U.S. studios during a debate on the books-to-tv business here in Edinburgh this morning.

Lundberg, CEO and founder of Paris-based Ctl Scouting, said, “American studios get dinged for buying a lot and not making a whole lot,” but that this didn’t always reflect the reality.

Writers or preferred producers being unavailable, or debates with the work’s author are among the issues that can slow down development after an option, she said, adding: “It’s like pushing jello up a hill.”

Talking on a panel about literary IP here at the Edinburgh TV Festival this morning, Lundberg said that between “40-50%” of everything on television is adapted from existing IP, even with prices rising massively over recent years.

Hilary Strong, CEO of International Literary Properties, concurred, saying: “In a difficult market, having titles and authors does help to elevate a pitch.

On Tuesday The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon welcomes actor Adam Sandler, musician will.i.am, author Liz Moore, and comedian Julian McCullough to the show. Adam Sandler, known for his comedic roles, joins the show to discuss his upcoming Netflix projects. will.i.am is a musician, best known as a member of the Black Eyed Peas. U […]

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon: Adam Sandler, will.i.am...

Tyler, The Creator isn’t one to hold his tongue — and he spoke his truth during an appearance on Mavericks with Maverick Carter. A trailer of the interview, featuring Tyler’s thoughts on meme rappers, went viral yesterday. But the full interview with Carter dropped today, and some of Tyler’s ire also went toward invasive fans. During the 26-minute conversation, Tyler slammed the “weirdo” fans who “sometimes” make him exhausted from the music-making process.

“These niggas get on my fuckin’ nerves, bro,” he laughingly tells Carter. “The internet’s crazy,...

It’s a gathering that will bring together CEOs and CMOs, owners of NFTs and MBAs, trading card and pin collectors and a healthy dose of social media creators, podcasters and influencers. VeeCon, which runs Aug. 9-11 in downtown Los Angeles, is at its core an expression of the multitudes contained by serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.

“We want to be the coolest business conference,” Vaynerchuk told Variety. The event will highlight Vaynerchuk’s various businesses with a strong emphasis on his budding kids brand VeeFriends. It also hopes to buck the downtrend in the world of Web3, NFTs and disruptive digital technologies by growing the VeeFriends characters and storytelling eco-system through digital and video content.

“The world underestimates the sheer power and attention that sits on social media,” Vaynerchuk says. “A lot of people wish it wasn’t that way.”

Vaynerchuk’s VaynerWatt arm has teamed with “CocoMelon” producer Moonbug Entertainment...

La Seine Musicale in Paris was Usher’s musical home for nearly two weeks in 2023 as the musician completed a headlining residency in the City of Love. The career-spanning performance was captured for the concert film Usher: Rendezvous in Paris, set to be released in theaters internationally beginning Sept. 12.

The official trailer for the film is set to the sound of “Omg,” his chart-topping 2010 collabroation with Will.i.am. “City of Lights, I came here to find something drifting on a river I cannot control,” Usher says in the preview. The minute-long...

During the peak of her career, Britney Spears worked with the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am and created one of her worst songs ever. Somehow, that led to more collaborations between Spears and the rapper that took the “Womanizer” singer‘s career in the wrong direction. While the press has become more sympathetic to Spears, her career never recovered from those Will.i.am collaborations.

Britney Spears and Will.i.am made 1 of the worst songs of the 2010s together

Both during his time with the Black Eyed Peas and his solo career, Will.i.am wrote many vapid, annoying songs. Many of those vapid, annoying songs were very successful. Regardless, as the 2010s wore on, Will. i.am’s sound seemed more and more passe. Sadly, Spears worked with him during this period.

In 2011, the duo made the song “Big Fat Bass” for Spears’ record Femme Fatale. That album boasts four...

Will.I.am will be joined by a range of speakers including The Sidemen manager Jordan Schwarzenberger at the new “future-gazing” Frontiers strand of the Edinburgh TV Festival, Variety can confirm.

Also speaking are HaZ Dulull, Yammy, ShxtsNGigs, Ben Zand, Fitwaffle, Ash Holme, Elz the Witch, Wimbledom digital products lead Chris Clements and Cowshed Collective’s head of creative strategy Danny Lorimer.

The Frontiers strand, which is supported by Screen Scotland, aims to look at the future of the television industry as well as take inspiration from related industries including digital, games and brands.

Sessions will include panels such as “The Rise of the Telly-Verse: Where TV Meets Gaming,” “Digital Born, Bred and Booming” and “Back to the Future” Turning Old IP Into Digital Hits.”

Will.I.am will speak on AI and the future of creativity.

The lineup was selected by an advisory team made up of Channel 4 senior digital commissioning editor Laura Marks,...

Britney Spears‘ “Work B****” is one of her most unusual, memorable, and profane hit songs. The “…Baby One More Time” singer revealed she recorded “Work B****” during a time when she was struggling creatively. She felt that the track was different from the other tunes she recorded for its parent album.

Britney Spears felt ‘Work B****’ was the 1 good song from 1 of her albums

In her 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, Spears discussed how she felt when she was recording her album, Britney Jean. The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am served as one of the producers of the record. “Back in the studio, I made one good song with Will.i.am — ‘Work B****,'” she wrote. “But I wasn’t making a lot of music that I was proud of, probably because I wasn’t into it.

“I was so demoralized,” she added. “It seemed like my father would pick...

Britney Spears‘ worst songs are sometimes inexplicable. For example, she once contributed a track to a Smurfs movie that makes no sense. Her attempt to work with fellow pop star Rihanna was also regrettable.

5. ‘S&m’

In 2011, Spears’ music was hotter than it’d been in a long time, thanks to her album Femme Fatale, which includes her hits “Hold It Against Me,” “Till the World Ends,” “I Wanna Go,” and “Criminal.” Meanwhile, Rihanna was having a career-high point as well, thanks to the popularity of her dance record Loud.

A collaboration between these two titans of pop seemed like a surefire hit and it was. Spears appeared on a remix of “S&m” that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a single week. Sadly, Spears’ vocal performance is indescribably awful.

4. ‘Ooh La La’

The chorus of “Ooh La La” is “Ooh my, my baby don’t be shy / I see...

Will.i.am created the i.am.home Fund to help prevent struggling families in the United States from losing their homes. He also created the i.am scholarship Fund to bring educational opportunities to young people in need of financial assistance.

Will.i.am teamed up with Rem’s Michael Stipe for a charity single to continue aid for Hurricane Katrina victims; proceeds benefit Mercy Corps. The CD, In the Sun, is available for purchase on iTunes.

In 2012, he donated £500,000 to The Prince's Trust, and has earmarked his salary from the UK’s “The Voice” to go to the organization.

Charities & foundations supported

will.i.am has supported the following charities:

Adobe FoundationApl.de.ap Foundation InternationalBoys & Girls Clubs of AmericaCity of HopeCommon Ground FoundationDeclare YourselfGRAMMY FoundationGreen For Alli.am.angel foundationi.am.home Fundi.am scholarship FundLeague of Conservation VotersMASSIVEGOODMercy CorpsMusic RisingPrince's TrustRed CrossRETHINK FabricsRobin HoodShriners Hospitals for ChildrenThe Black Eyed Peas Foundation Read more about will.

Prolific British scribe James Graham will ask “why television has a problem with the working classes” in the Edinburgh TV Festival MacTaggart lecture this year.

Graham, whose credits include Sherwood, Dear England, Brexit: The Uncivil War and Quiz, will deliver the 49th address in two months time, an agenda-setting speech that has been helmed down the years by the likes of Michaela Coel, Kevin Spacey and three Murdochs.

The British playwright and screenwriter will “explore why television has a problem with the working classes and how drama can shape the political agenda,” posing questions over how the push for greater representation can more confidently include social class and regionality.

Across a 20-year career, Graham’s oeuvre has repeatedly addressed these topics and recent works include a theater version of Alan Bleasdale’s Boys from the Blackstuff and political thriller series The Way with Michael Sheen and Adam Curtis. He has...

Mick Jagger rarely releases music without The Rolling Stones. However, he once put out a song with the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am and Jennifer Lopez. will.i.am explained why he was able to work with two massive stars on that song. The tune performed very differently in the United States and the United Kingdom.

will.i.am made an electro-rap song with The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez

will.i.am released an electro-rap song called “T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever).” During a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, will.i.am said he thought it would be impossible to get the “Angie” singer on the song until he spoke to record executive Jimmy Iovine.

“I went to play material for the label and Jimmy Iovine’s like, ‘Yo, this is dope. Who are you gonna put on it?'” will.i.am said. “I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?...

Will.i.am, The Handmaid’s Tale producer Warren Littlefield and Clarkson’s Farm EP Andy Wilman will speak at this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival.

Grammy-winning music artist and The Voice coach Will.i.am will be a headline speaker in a new Frontiers strand that will bring together the traditional TV sector with leaders from others, such as podcasting, tech and digital.

He will be in conversation with Dr Alex Connock, the TV-producer, Oxford University lecturer and AI expert. Will.i.am is the founder and CEO of Fyi, a Web 3.0 AI platform aimed at harnessing the technology for creative production. The pair will discuss the future of creativity and what role AI will play in content creation, distribution and audience engagement.

Littlefield, the former network chief who oversaw the creation of NBC’s ‘Must See TV’ era, will discuss his career on both sides of the commissioning line. After overseeing...

“For me, that song, when I listened to it, it was so inspiring and it was so cool and it was so good,” Enrique Iglesias told will.i.am about the Black Eyed Peas’ 2003 debut single, “Where Is the Love?”

A guest on “will.i.am Presents the Fyi Show” recorded live at the SiriusXM Miami Studios, Enrique said he still gets goosebumps thinking about that song and how he knew it was the “tipping point” for the group’s career similar to Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.”

“I remember being at Interscope [Records] and begging to work with you in the studio,” Enrique added.

Enrique also talked about how he spent over a year writing his 2001 hit song “Hero,” but the label wanted a more uptempo lead single for the album — an experience will.i.am could relate to.

“I’ve been scarred, as far as like, you think, ‘This is it.

New transmedia company Iconic Arts launched Tuesday with $3.1 million in financing at a $20 million pre-seed valuation. The entertainment studio boasts support from screenwriter Eric Roth, Grammy winning artist Will.i.am and exec vets of Disney, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Jp Morgan.

Iconic Arts, which has opened offices in both Los Angeles and Tokyo, is founded by Steven Haddadian, Alec Roth, Matthew Medney, Mo Yazdani and Jack Sheehan.

Per Iconic Arts, “For the last year, the team has been developing an original slate of IP by using a unique workflow which combines talented creators with emerging technologies such as a set of proprietary AI-powered tools that help lower cost of development by up to 90%, while derisking negative audience sentiment. For example, one tool enables creators to materialize worlds for Ugc platforms such as Fortnite, Roblox or any multiplayer native environment with no code, while maintaining their art direction. These Ugc platforms serve...

Grammy Award-winning artist and Futurist will.i.am appeared on Roxanne Shante’s “Have A Nice Day” show on LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Radio, revealing that Roxanne is one of his heroes. Listen to “Have A Nice Day” on the SiriusXM app and car radios on channel 43 with a subscription and free trial.

“This is surreal to me because I wanted to rap because of you and Biz,” will.i.am told Roxanne. “This is emotional for me right now, because you kept me safe when I was in the projects.”

“I appreciate that,” a humble Roxanne responded. “I love being your big sister, and keeping everyone safe. I love that I can take people back to a point in their childhoods when they can remember when it was like this and you did it like this, but I am also thankful that y’all are doing it like this!

Jarret Myer, Rich Antoniello and will.i.am have formed Uproxx Studios, after acquiring Uproxx, HipHopDX, Dime Magazine and other media assets from Warner Music Group.

The studio will also have the exclusive license to represent Warner Music Group’s YouTube inventory of stars for all media sales in the United States. Myer, co-founder of Uproxx Media, will serve as incoming CEO of the studio, while will.i.am will serve as chief visionary officer.

“We’re doubling down on growth,” Myer said. “Expect significant investments in our brands, team, and the experiences we offer – both creators and audiences alike.”

In his position, the company said will.i.am will bring “his star power, Futurism and tech expertise.” The company will also partner with software company Fyi to use AI technology and Fyi radio. Fyi’s AI-powered platform will have its own vertical within Uproxx Studios.

“Innovation is in our DNA,” will.

Just last year, many experts believed an AI model capable of generating complete, high-fidelity songs from text prompts wouldn’t arrive anytime soon, but now, an arms race is on between competing music-making models that do just that. Suno‘s v3 model, released to the public just weeks ago, was a remarkable breakthrough, particularly in realistic, human-sounding vocals — and today, a formidable new competitor arrives via the just-launched startup Udio. The two companies’ output seems closely comparable, though some early users have suggested that on average, Udio’s output may sound crisper than Suno’s,...

Fresh off releasing Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé has dropped her new “Pony Up Remix” for the album’s first single, “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

The surprise version of the track begins largely the same as the Cowboy Carter song before the action moves from the Lone Star State to Louisiana on the second verse, with the remix featuring a new verse that gallops along to a New Orleans bounce breakdown. According to the remix’s credits, The-Dream was also involved in the Pony Up production:

Along with the remix, Beyoncé also launched a new website — BeenCountry.

Rapper Ludacris posed with Katy Perry and Sza at the iHeartRadio after hosting the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday.

“You always gotta know your audience. It’s always different audiences for different events and things you do,” the rapper told Billboard before the show. “To me, iHeart is all about energy, love and they wanna see their favorite artists. I’m also — humbly speaking — performing as well. So, it’s all about the energy in the building. We gotta keep that as high as possible.”

The “Yeah!” rapper performed at the show with T-Pain.

In February, Ludacris performed with Usher at the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas alongside other artists such as Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am and Lil Jon.

Last year, the rapper went on tour with Janet Jackson for her Together Again tour to celebrate her 50th anniversary in the music industry.

Source:...

At the West Hollywood Edition on March 6, where Greta Gerwig was honored as one of Time’s Women of the Year, the record-breaking director spoke to her artistic process and the possibility of a “Barbie” sequel.

“My North Star is ‘What do I deeply love? What do I really care about? Like, ‘What’s the story underneath this story?'” she said. “And I think with ‘Barbie,’ the story underneath this story was I loved Barbie. I remember going to Toys R Us and looking at Barbies and I loved their hair. And I loved everything about them and my mom was not sure about it. And I find that’s the story, that’s the generational story…I’m always trying to find those undertows.”

Whether or not she will continue to explore the world of Mattel is dependent on her discovering another fascinating tension like that. When asked about a sequel she said,...

Will.I.Am held up the peace sign at Live Nation’s inaugural Music Therapy Grand Prix at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday in London.

The event was hosted by F1 Drive in support of Nordoff and Robbins, a music charity.

The Black-Eyed Peas member spotted a blue cap and a black and gray sweater including his glasses.

Will.I.Am recently performed with Usher among other musicians at the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show. He and Usher performed their hit song “Omg.”

Will.I.Am is no stranger to Super Bowl performances. In 2011, he performed with his fellow Black Eyed Peas members including Fergie for the year’s Super Bowl Halftime show.

The post Will.I.Am Attends Live Nation’s Music Therapy Grand Prix After Super Bowl Performance appeared first on uInterview.

Usher is addressing the speculation that he asked Justin Bieber to join him during the Super Bowl halftime show.

During an interview with The Breakfast Club on Friday, the singer confirmed that he did reach out to Bieber about an appearance but said that the two weren’t able to join forces onstage.

“It didn’t work out with Justin. I honor and recognize that, my brother. I think that it might’ve been the fact that he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now. And I understand that,” he explained.

He went on to share that the two did “have a brief conversation” and even though the stars didn’t align for a halftime show collaboration, “We’re gonna do something else in the future. No love lost or anything like that. It’s a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl, obviously,” Usher added.

He...

Update: Nielsen has updated their estimate, reporting that Super Bowl Lviii reached 123.7 million viewers, up from the initial count of 123.4 million.

The Feb. 11 Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers brought in an average of 123.4 million viewers — the highest number of people watching the same broadcast in the history of television.

112 million of those viewers were tuned into the CBS broadcast — the largest audience ever for a single network. The rest were measured across Paramount+, Nickelodeon, Univision, CBS Sports and NFL digital properties including NFL+. Per Paramount Global, Paramount+ saw record-breaking viewership that made Sunday the most-streamed Super Bowl ever, but exact data regarding streaming views isn’t available.

Before this, the biggest telecast of all time was last year’s Super Bowl game between the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. It was initially named the third most-watched, ranking behind the 2015 and 2017 Super Bowls...

R&b singer Usher made a musical comeback as the headliner for the Super Bowl Lviii halftime show.

The show included an extensive ensemble of performers made up of dancers, acrobats and a marching band. Usher wasn’t the only star on stage—Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Will.i.am, H.E.R. and Jermaine Dupri all joined in for the show.

The crowd cheered as Usher and fellow musicians performed their best hits, including “Omg” and “My Boo.” Usher made multiple outfit changes, at one point going shirtless before concluding the show in a bedazzled padding.

Audiences appeared to enjoy the show as it happened live. However, Usher’s performance may have been hindered by Taylor Swift‘s attendance at the game. While Swift did not perform, many fans tuned in to the Super Bowl to watch Swift cheer on her boyfriend,Travis Kelce, of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Longtime Usher fans praised the show.

Usher made a guest appearance at the Black Eyed Peas’ Super Bowl halftime show in 2011, and bandleader will.i.am says he was happy to return the favor Sunday.

Will.i.am performed “Omg” — which he wrote and produced — alongside Usher at both events.

“How can I explain it? There’s no words to really explain that,” he told The Hollywood Reporter after the performance. “Now 13 years later, it means something totally different. It’s beautiful. It was wonderful. It’s fantastic.”

As they performed “Omg,” roller skaters danced and flipped onstage. “The reason I say our section was the most ‘What the F?’ is because we’ve never seen roller skating at any type of big world stage like that. It felt like the urban Olympics. He brought the urban Olympics to the Super Bowl.”

“There were a lot of Omg moments in the show. There were so many Omg moments. That 60 seconds...

Taylor Swift celebrated Travis Kelce’s Super Bowl win with several long embraces on the field at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday night.

Kelce’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night to win Super Bowl Lviii in Las Vegas.

During the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Swift was seen standing next to Kelce’s mom, Donna, as he spoke with CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz.

She was seen smiling and clapping as the Chiefs’ tight end first busted into a few lines of Elvis Presley’s song “Viva Las Vegas” before then leading the crowd in the Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right.”

After that rousing speech, Swift greeted Kelce with a long hug and several kisses on the field, as she did two weeks ago when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship Game.

Travis and Taylor.

Usher came to the Super Bowl to celebrate nearly 30 years of making love in this club, and that’s exactly what he did — he turned Allegiant Stadium in Vegas into his own personal seduction lair. His Super Bowl halftime show was a splashy tribute to millennial pop glitz, with a slew of hits from the 2000s and guest stars to match, running from Alicia Keys to Ludacris to will.i.am to the show-stealing Lil Jon. Usher tagged the show to the 20th anniversary of his classic Confessions, without reaching...

With Taylor Swift in the 65,000-strong crowd at Sunday’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Usher couldn’t have had any illusions about who had the greater star power and the media’s attention as he hit the field for the halftime show.

So, battling some initial microphone problems, the slick R&b singer and the producing team of Dps with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Jesse Collins leaned in hard to the showmanship that Usher always has done best, and hoped for the best.

Hope was not enough, even when the ripped Usher stripped off his shirt halfway through and H.E.R. came out to offer some solid-gold guitar licks.

In no small part, H.E.R.’s extended stint onstage at Allegiant Stadium unveiled the staid mechanics of Sunday’s halftime show as it was clearly intended mainly to give Usher enough time for a costume change and the...

Usher headlined Super Bowl Lviii’s halftime show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday with a career-spanning performance featuring some of the biggest contemporary R&b hits of the past 20-plus years.

Usher kicked off the electrifying set with “Caught Up” while a bevy of dancers and others performed gymnastics and turned the field into a dance party. The set included several surprise guests, among them Alicia Keys, who joined him at a red piano, where they duetted “If I Ain’t Got You” and then they transitioned the medley into “My Boo.

Usher gave an electric performance filled with special guests during the Super Bowl Lviii Halftime Show on Sunday, singing some of his biggest hits throughout his 30-year music career.

The singer kicked off the show on the football field, wearing an all-white outfit and a cape by Dolce & Gabbana. His performance featured a mashup of many of his classic songs, including “Caught Up,” “Love in this Club,” “U Got It Bad,” “Omg,” “Yeah!” and more.

Usher is joined by a marching band while performing "Love in this Club" at the #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/9HhEWMZzKP

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 12, 2024

Alicia Keys was the first guest to make an appearance, singing “If I Ain’t Got You,” and then “My Boo” with Usher. She sported an all-red, shimmery look by Dolce & Gabbana, while Usher later lost his shirt when performing “U Got It Bad.”

Alicia Keys joins Usher during the #SuperBowl Halftime Show pic.

Fingers crossed that there are no malfunctions for Usher at this year’s Super Bowl!

On Thursday, the singer held a press conference ahead of his Halftime Show performance in Las Vegas, where he reflected on the last time he hit the stage at the Big Game in 2011 with the Black Eyed Peas.

“Oddly enough, there was a moment that only I think I remember,” he said. “My hand got caught in the wire that was holding me 30 feet in the air and I almost missed my first mark.”

At the show,...

The Conga Room is closing its doors.

The Los Angeles institution will bow out of the city’s nightlife scene after 25 years with one more final hurrah on March 27. Billed as a “farewell celebration,” the final night will be steered by investors Jimmy Smits and Paul Rodriguez and feature performances and appearances by Gilberto Santa Rosa (aka “el caballero de la salsa”) among other notable names (yet to be announced) from the worlds of music, politics and culture.

Opened in 1999 on Wilshire Boulevard by entrepreneur Brad Gluckstein, the Conga Room counted Smits, Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez and Sheila E. as investors. The Conga Room became a go-to nightlife, special events and concert destination that boosted culture, music and entertainment. Over the years it has hosted the likes of Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Celia Cruz, the Buena Vista Social Club, Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Alejandro Fernández, Jamie Foxx, Fito Páez,...

Two of reggaetón’s greatest are joining forces for the first time in nearly five years. Maluma released his single “Gafas Negras” with J Balvin on Friday, along with its music video.

“Thank you J Balvin for being part of this Don Juan era and for believing in this chimba roject,” Maluma wrote on Instagram with a clip of the visual. He also shared a throwback photo of the pair early in their careers on his Instagram story.

The Tes Pimienta-directed video opens with Balvin performing the song as he...

Will.i.am has a new collaborator: qd.pi ( “cutie pie”), the artificial intelligence co-host of his new AI-themed radio show.

Will.i.am Presents the Fyi Show will debut on SiriusXM’s The 10s Spot on Jan. 25, and the weekly show will air on Thursdays at 9 p.m. Et. Qd.pi — the first-ever AI co-host on SiriusXM — will discuss music, pop culture, technology and AI-related topics alongside the Black Eyed Peas leader and technophile.

“I didn’t want to just do a traditional show, I wanted to bring tomorrow close to today, and so I wanted to have my co-host be an AI,” will.i.am tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m ultra-freaking colorful and expressive. [Qd.pi is] ultra-freaking factual and analytical. And that combination, we ain’t seen in the history of freaking broadcasts anywhere.”

During the interview, qd.pi answered several questions and chimed in about what makes the new show so special:...

Rumors have been swirling about a musical comeback from Britney Spears in recent days, but in a new Instagram post Wednesday, the singer shut them down saying she’ll “never return to the industry.”

Minutes before her post, however, a source close to the Spears project-in-the-works tells Rolling Stone that the singer’s team was preparing new music to get the singer to return to the studio, but that she had not yet been “actively in recording.”

“Right now, management and A&r are trying to get her excited for the music,...