‘Now It’s Time for Me to Take Them on Another Journey’: Fantasia Shares Plans to Take Fans ‘Into Worship’ with Gospel Album – In an interview with MB Mag, Fantasia shared more on whether she’s done with singing and, if she isn’t, if she has an idea of what she will do next. At the 38:41 mark of the interview, she said, “I can never stop singing because that’s what God’s placed me on this Earth to do. But yeah, the music will change; the sound will change. It’s time for a new sound.” She explained she will be exploring a different sound because God “opened up doors” and “allowed people to fall in love with Tasia.” She continued, “And now it’s time for me to take them on another journey, which is into worship.” The soon-to-be mother of three says the forthcoming shift in her sound is long overdue and says it’s “not the same over there” in reference to the R&B genre in which her music has fallen within. “I don’t want to give all my goods to an area that doesn’t deserve it. I’m going to give it back to God.” – Read more at AtlantaBlackStar
Sony’s ‘Cinderella’ Starring Camila Cabello Skipping Theaters to Debut on Amazon – Sony’s retelling of “Cinderella,” starring Camila Cabello as the classic princess, is skipping its planned theatrical debut. The film will instead premiere on Amazon Prime Video later this year. It’s unclear when the movie, which had already been delayed once due to the pandemic, will land on the streaming platform. Sony originally intended to open “Cinderella” on the big screen this July, but the studio opted to license the film to Amazon Prime because movie theater attendance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Sony will retain rights in China. In the musical retelling of the classic fairytale about an orphan who longs to meet her prince charming, Billy Porter is portraying Cinderella’s fairy godparent and Idina Menzel is playing her evil stepmother. The cast also includes Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Robert, Pierce Brosnan as King Rowan and Minnie Driver as Queen Beatrice.- Read more at Variety
American Idol contestant shares how Riviera Beach roots helped him excel in singing competition – Willie Spence Sr. loves music. “It’s like a relaxant,” he says. He keeps his Gibson guitar with him in his car wherever he goes and he keeps his family and his heart close to his chest. Spence Sr.’s eldest daughter and Renaissance Charter School principal, Kendra Spence Wester, says for their family, Riviera Beach is home. “Paw paw’s sisters are here, his aunts, his grandma all of his siblings are here,” says Spence Wester. Willie Spence Sr.’s son is also Willie Spence. Not only do they share a name but also a love for music. “He sings morning, noon, and night,” said Spence Sr. His son agrees, “I be singing all day everyday they couldn’t shut me up.” – Read more at WPTV
Liahona Olayan performs “Boom” and talks about her American Idol run
Anna Grace nearly died four years ago. Now the Milwaukee singer is thriving on ‘The Voice.’ – Anna Grace Felten felt terrible, helpless, afraid. For about eight months, the Milwaukee native was in and out of the hospital, fighting sepsis. “The doctors told my parents, ‘We are doing everything we can, we can only give her so much medication, there’s only so much we can do,’ ” Felten told the Journal Sentinel. “I had a lot of times where I didn’t think I would make it.” She made it, in part, thanks to music. “Listening to music would make me feel better and calm me,” she said. “Whenever I went home from the hospital, every time the first thing I would do was sit down at the piano and sing.” – Read more at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Gabby Barrett Is Raising Her Daughter on “Classic Country and Christian Music” – While preparing for Mother’s Day, new parent Gabby Barrett spoke with CMT’s Cody Alan. Of the many topics discussed, learning what music she and her husband, Cade Foehner, hope to pass down to their daughter, Baylah Mae, proved most intriguing. “My husband likes classic country, and he likes Christian music, and so do I,” says the “I Hope” vocalist. “So, we will probably bring her up with a lot of that.” She continues, “I was [also] influenced by a lot of that and what music my parents played around me. That’s how I got my style of music. So, I imagine what music you play around your kids or in the car influences their style of music.” – Read more at CMT.com
Ken Jeong To Star In Dramedy Series ‘Shoot The Moon’ In The Works At Amazon With Daniel Dae Kim Producing – Ken Jeong is set to star in a half-hour dramedy about life failures that is in the works at Amazon with Daniel Dae Kim producing. The I Can See Your Voice host and The Masked Singer panelist, who shot to fame with his role in The Hangover movies, is attached as the lead in Shoot the Moon. The single-camera project is loosely inspired by the “life failures” of Paul Bae, a former high school English teacher and stand-up comedian who created The Black Tapes podcast series. Bae was an evangelical youth pastor who married his college sweetheart. After he lost his wife to divorce and Jesus to atheism, he embarked on a stumbling, years-long journey with his friends and family back to wholeness. – Read more at Deadline
