New Music Friday: Ed Sheeran, AJR and more
Aside from *NSYNC's first new song in 20 years, "Better Place," here are some other notable new releases out Friday:
Ed Sheeran has said that his new album Autumn Variations doesn't have any official singles, but when it arrived on Friday, it came with a live performance video of one of the album's tracks, “American Town.” In the clip, Ed's sitting by some railroad tracks in the middle of the woods, playing the song — inspired by his wife, Cherry — on an acoustic guitar.
AJR has released a new song called "Yes I'm a Mess," a track off the band's upcoming album, The Maybe Man. The song follows the singles "The Dumb Song," "The DJ Is Crying for Help" and "I Won't" as well as the song "God Is Really Real," which the brother trio wrote about their late father. The Maybe Man, the follow-up to 2021's OK ORCHESTRA, arrives November 3.
Former Fifth Harmony member Ally Brooke has returned to pop with her new single "Gone to Bed." In a statement, Ally says the song marks her new era. “'Gone to Bed' for me is this delicate dance between emotions and logic," she explains. "It is that constant inner struggle we face every day. We as humans are ruled by our emotions, which is a beautiful way of living yet a dangerous one at times."
Goo Goo Dolls are out with a live performance of their breakthrough song "Name," recorded in 1995 in New York City. It's the first release from their upcoming album Live At The Academy, due out October 20. The 32-track album includes the band's soundcheck, full set and encores from what, at the time, was their biggest New York City show to date.
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'The Continental' series director Albert Hughes on playing in the "sandbox" of 1970s New York
The second of three episodes of The Continental: From the World of John Wick is now streaming on Peacock.
Set in "the hell-scape of 1970s New York City," it was up to director Albert Hughes, as well as Wick franchise producers Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and their production team, to recreate the bad old days of the Big Apple — very far from New York, no less.
Lee explains, "We scouted all over and then ended up in Budapest, which is amazing." She thanked "an incredible team that ... helped build ... The Continental and '70s New York and still give it that kind of slick John Wick vibe on a ... smaller budget."
Hughes adds, "When we did Dead Presidents in 1994 ... we're doing the '70s, you're a little closer to that period. And they hadn't yet cleaned up Times Square, and the Bronx and Harlem. So we were able to do it. You know, even now in New York, you can't ... get away with it."
"Even modern-day John Wick ... it's an impression of New York," he continues. "So what's our impression of the 1970s New York? That starts with disco for me and music and classic rock and the style of the '70s, the sanitation strike, you know, all that good stuff."
The location was sweetened with establishing shots of the New York City skyline, thanks to some digital artistry. Hughes explains, "We had to get reference pictures of what buildings weren't there and take them out. We had to put the Twin Towers in."
But sorry, Statue of Liberty wonks: The visual effects supervisor pointed out that the flame atop Lady Liberty's torch isn't period-accurate and offered to fix it.
"I'm like ... no, we shouldn't waste money on that," Hughes laughs.
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Watch Jung Kook team up with Jack Harlow for new single and video, "3D"
Jung Kook of BTS scored a hit with help from Latto, so now, he's hoping lightning will strike twice with some help from Jack Harlow.
Following the success of Jung Kook's Latto-featuring track "Seven," he's released "3D" with the "First Class" rapper. The track is a modern spin on mid-2000s hip-hop/dance that hears Jung Kook singing, "If you're ready/
And if you'll let me/I wanna see it in motion/in 3D."
In the video, Jung Kook sings and dances on a giant mirror and climbs up a white staircase while rocking an oversized white suit. Jack shows up to play chess with Jung Kook, rap about "ABG's" — "Asian Baby Girls" — and brag, "I'll fly you from Korea to Kentucky/And you ain't gotta guarantee me nothin'/I just wanna see if I get lucky."
"I thought it was a really fun song when I first heard it," says the BTS star in a statement. "I’m ready to show a different side of myself that I hadn’t shown with ‘Seven.'”
He adds that Jack is "a great artist that I like and have followed for a while," noting, "I had a lot of fun working with him. His voice fit ‘3D’ perfectly and really added to the sensual vibe of the song.”
“I felt a bit of pressure having received so much love with ‘Seven,’ but it also gave me a big boost of courage to take on a new challenge," Jung Kook concludes. "I’ll keep working hard to continue to share great music in the future.”
(Video contains uncensored profanity.)
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Sam Smith performs '80s classic at designer boyfriend's fashion show
If you're a fashion designer and your boyfriend conveniently happens to be a global pop star, then you've got the entertainment for your latest show all set.
On September 28, designer Christian Cowan presented his first show for Paris Fashion Week, and his rumored boyfriend Sam Smith provided a musical moment in the middle of the event. According to Fashion Network, Sam took the stage wearing a huge black faux fur cape and hat, and carried a fur-covered cane. They posted photos of their look on Instagram.
Sam performed the hit song "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by the '80s British dance pop group Dead or Alive, in tribute to the group's late singer, LGBTQ icon Pete Burns. Cowan's entire spring/summer 2024 women's collection was called Freak Unique, which was the title of Burns' autobiography.
On Instagram, Cowan wrote, "I’d like to capture the punk, British, glamorous and experimental nature of Burns within this collection. To bolster this, there could be no greater choice than a performance by @samsmith to evoke this spirit. As they have done through their incredible and boundary pushing career."
Back in June, Sam and Christian were seen kissing each other in New York City. They've been linked since they were first spotted together in January.
In other Sam Smith news, a podcast they narrated was named Podcast of the Year at the British Podcast Awards, the BBC reports. The podcast, A Positive Life: HIV from Terrence Higgins to Today, is named after one of the first people in the U.K. to die of an AIDS-related illness, and covers the history of HIV in the U.K. over the last 40 years.
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Reality Roundup: 'Vanderpump Rules'' Tom Sandoval announces new podcast, and more
Have no fear, your reality roundup is here! Here's a look at what's happened in the world of reality television this week.
Jersey Shore Family Vacation (MTV)
Jersey Shore Family Vacation star, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, and his wife, Lauren, are expanding their family once more. In a heartwarming Instagram announcement, the couple shared their excitement for their upcoming third child, due in March 2024. Alongside a sweet photo featuring their 9-month-old daughter, Mia, and two-year-old son Romeo Reign, holding sonograms, they wrote, "Good things come in threes. Adding another pumpkin to our patch Baby #3 coming March 2024."
Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)
Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval has announced his new podcast, Everybody Loves Tom. The debut episode premiered Thursday, September 28th across podcast platforms, with subsequent episodes premiering weekly on Thursdays. The show, hosted by the actor, model and mixologist, will feature lively discussions with a diverse lineup of celebrities, musicians, and friends, per the presser. Listeners can expect candid conversations covering VPR secrets, music, fashion, cocktails, and more.
Bachelor in Paradise (ABC)
Bachelor in Paradise lovebirds Caelynn Miller-Keyes and Dean Unglert are married! They exchanged vows on September 23 at Beyul Retreat in Meredith, Colorado, a location with special significance to Unglert. The charming "Camp Bell" wedding theme paid tribute to Miller-Keyes' affection for summer camp and honored Unglert's late mother, Debbie Bell, who passed away from breast cancer during his teenage years. In a touching gesture, the couple intends to adopt the Bell surname, preserving Debbie's memory as they embark on this new chapter together.
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Ed Sheeran gets drunk during six-hour NYC bar crawl celebrating new album release
Thursday night in New York City, drinks were on Ed Sheeran.
On the morning of Friday, September 29, Ed posted a video on Instagram documenting a bar crawl he undertook on Thursday to celebrate his new album, Autumn Variations.
“Right, to celebrate my album release I’m gonna pub crawl, go in random bars and drinks are on me for the next six hours… let’s… GO!” Ed announces in the video. It then cuts to Ed in on his first drink in his first bar, where he notes that things aren't really popping off. "We're not there yet," he complained, in terms of level of excitement.
He then announces that he's "going to the f****** place where people wanna go for it!" and hops on the subway, where he chats with a guy while mostly being ignored by everyone else. Next, we see him in a much more active establishment, playing beer pong and setting up shots on the bar, surrounded by a fairly lively crowd.
In the last 90 minutes, Ed heads down to New York's Greenwich Village and finally finds the vibe he's been looking for. He lines up shots for the excited crowd and serves them on trays while people chant, "Ed! Ed! Ed!"
At the end of the night — and the video — Ed sums up his experience.
“When we started out, the place… they weren’t feeling it,” he says. "The next place? Weren’t feeling it either. We got on the subway, and then… here we are. I’m very drunk right now. Very drunk. Autumn Variations out right now!"
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Weekend Watchlist: What's new on streaming
Ready, set, binge! Here's a look at some of the new movies and TV shows streaming this weekend:
Netflix
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar: Watch The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, the first of Wes Anderson's four short films coming to Netflix this month.
The Great British Baking Show: Return to the tent and meet a whole new crop of bakers on The Great British Baking Show.
Reptile: A star-studded cast rounds out the thrilling new mystery film Reptile, where a detective uncovers the truth behind a brutal murder.
Hulu
Love in Fairhope: From the producers of Vanderpump Rules, dive into the lives of five women at various life stages as they embark on a journey to find love in their small town of Fairhope, Alabama.
Disney+
Launchpad: The exciting season 2 highlights the work of six writers, five directors, and one multi-talented writer-director, all hailing from underrepresented backgrounds.
Max
Starstruck: Find out how to love and let go in season 3 of the new romantic comedy series.
Apple TV+
Flora and Son: An Irish mother learns how to play the guitar to connect with her son in the new movie.
Prime Video
The Boys: Fans of The Boys better check out Gen V, the Prime Video spin-off series set at a university for students with superpowers.
Victoria's Secret The Tour: The iconic fashion show is back and better with a part-fashion, part-documentary with a mission to empower women.
Happy Streaming!
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Taylor Swift's record label denied request to play her music during Chiefs-Bears game, producer says
While Taylor Swift was frequently on camera last weekend during FOX's coverage of the Chiefs-Bears game at Arrowhead Stadium, you didn't hear any of her music played. As a FOX NFL producer reveals, it wasn't for lack of trying.
In a blog post, NFL lead producer Richie Zyontz reveals that late in the morning of September 24, he and his team were notified that Taylor would indeed be at the stadium to watch Travis Kelce and the Chiefs. Since they'd heard that it might happen, Zyontz explained, they had attempted to prepare but failed.
"Earlier in the week, amid the avalanche of rumors, our bulldog associate producer Rich Gross had sought permission to use some of Swift's music," Zyontz writes. "Not a chance. Per the FOX music department, Swift’s record label and publishing company denied our request 'in conjunction with speculations on or about her private/personal/dating life.'"
At that point, Zyontz writes, the director Rich Russo decided not to "take gratuitous live shots" of Taylor in Kelce's VIP box. Instead, he decided to focus on putting the cameras on her when she reacted to the action on the field.
"Her joyful expression after Kelce scored a touchdown was the image of the day, captured beautifully by our low end-zone cameraman Andy Mitchell," Zyontz writes.
Rumor has it that Taylor will be at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday to watch the Kelce and the Chiefs take on the Jets.
Meanwhile, someone who knows both Travis and Taylor approves of their possible romance. When Extra asked singer Kelsea Ballerini about it at the People's Choice Country Awards, she said, "I love Travis. We did SNL together. I love Taylor. We were close for many years. I want happiness for everyone, so ... vibe!”
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Gayle King defends bestie Oprah over Cindy Crawford "chattel" comments in Apple TV+ documentary
While Oprah Winfrey has yet to weigh in, her bestie Gayle King is disappointed with Cindy Crawford's headline-grabbing comments about the talk show titan in Apple TV+'s new documentary The Super Models.
As reported, Crawford said she feels humiliated by her 1986 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, during which she was asked to stand up and model her body for the crowd.
"I was like the chattel or a child, be seen and not heard," Crawford confessed, adding she didn't get it at the time, when she was 20. "When you look at it through today's eyes, Oprah's like … 'Show us why you’re worthy of being here.'"
Re-watching the clip, Cindy said, "that was so not OK really. Especially from Oprah!"
Entertainment Tonight caught up with King in New York City Thursday night, and she said she's disappointed at the comments.
"I haven't seen it, and I want to see it, but I'm surprised and a little disappointed," King expressed. "Because I know Cindy's been on her show many, many, many times and it has always been a pleasant experience."
She added, "It's not Oprah's thing to humiliate or make anybody feel badly," saying of the clip, "I have to see it, but, as far as I know, everything is good between Oprah and Cindy."
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