Haley Reinhart Joins Variety’s Music for Screens Summit – Singer-songwriter Haley Reinhart has been added as a special guest for Variety‘s second annual Music for Screens Summit, being held at Neuehouse in Hollywood Oct. 29. Ten years after finishing third on “American Idol,” Reinhart has proven one of that show’s most in-demand survivors and even thrivers, especially as she’s risen to the top of music supervisors’ and advertisers’ synch lists. Her voice is being heard more than ever, thanks to ad campaigns using her covers of the Cranberries’ “Dreams” (for Mazda) and Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (for Extra gum). Soothing and sultry, these renditions have made the singer a go-to for agencies while also allowing her to pursue a career in music full-time. Haley will talk about her journey in a Q&A with Variety executive editor Shirley Halperin. – Read more at Variety

Maddie Poppe uses Hawkeye Comm. College students to make music video – Bellfy and Moore, who directed the shoot, also recruited Poppe’s father, Trent, as audio engineer, plus camera operators Ryan Dueker and Kaleb Neher, production assistants Gene Jaramillo, Lauren Weber, David McCready, Jenn McCready and Dan Nierling, and behind-the-scenes videographer Kayla Vanderwerf. The crew used four cameras and did around eight takes during the six-hour shoot, an acoustic video of Poppe accompanying herself on piano to her song, “Not Losing You,” from her first full-length album, “Whirlwind.” Bellfy and Moore then spent a month editing the video. – Read more at The Courier

Maddie Poppe: It’s been a “Whirlwind” of a year – In bringing Whirlwind to life, Poppe refined her artistry by co-writing for the first time. “At first I was so scared to lay all my emotions out on the table like that,” she recalls. “But now that I’ve gotten used to it, I don’t have that fear anymore. These days I’d much rather write with other people because I love that feeling of everyone sharing their ideas and
creating something you’d never come up with on your own.” And as she’s evolved as a songwriter, Poppe’s made a point of telling her story with soul-baring vulnerability. “Two years ago, I never would’ve imagined I’d be where I am today,” she says. “I never would’ve thought I’d get out of small-town Iowa and play shows all over the country, or meet somebody so perfect for me—I never thought I could make my dreams come true like that. – Read more at Guitar Girl Magazine

To Harry Connick Jr., a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Marks a Major Life Touchdown – When he returns to the star-studded sidewalk Oct. 24 to see his name alongside theirs (Connick’s will live near 7080 Hollywood Blvd.), it will be as a successful career performer of that particular vintage: the kind for whom no venue or stage is the wrong size, and no audience ill-suited. The kind willing to take a leap into any medium as long as it brings people some joy. – Read more at Variety

American Idol Executive Producer Trish Kahane introduced the former American Idol judge during the ceremony. Harry served as judge for seasons 13, 14 and 15–the last three seasons of the show on FOX.

"American Idol" executive producer Trish Kinane talks about Harry Connick Jr.'s impact on the singing show as a judge https://t.co/SwxCpTpTTy pic.twitter.com/ll6bwM5rJ6

— Variety (@Variety) October 24, 2019

Full ceremony

After tragedy, One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson is finally in a ‘good place in life’ — and ready to rock – “I had a couple of things in my personal life which made momentum a little bit more difficult, naturally,” says Tomlinson, now age 27. He is referring to the loss of his mother, Johannah Deakin (who died from leukemia at age 43, the same year of 1D’s split), followed by the fatal overdose of his 18-year-old sister, Félicité, earlier this year. “I don’t think for a while I’ll be going near anything else too heavy emotionally; I’m not really that way inclined,” Tomlinson continues, speaking of his future musical plans. “I want to make songs that make people feel good, you know what I mean? I’m conscious of trying to make happier songs, definitely. What I’ve learned about the writing process is you can’t write a happy song if you don’t feel happy. And I feel like I’m in a good place in my life, and naturally with that comes happier songs. So I think it all depends on what headspace you’re in, really, at the time.” – Read more at Yahoo.com

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