Lineup Revealed For ‘We Love NYC’ Free Concert In Central Park – New York City’s ‘We Love NYC’ concert in Central Park on August 21 will feature a diverse lineup of performers, celebrating the city getting back on track despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Slated to perform at the historic concert are Jon Batiste, Andrea Bocelli, Kane Brown, Elvis Costello, Jennifer Hudson, Cynthia Erivo, Polo G, Earth, Wind & Fire, LL Cool J, Wyclef Jean, Journey, The Killers, Barry Manilow, the New York Philharmonic, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen and Rob Thomas. – Read more at iHeart.com
Grace Kinstler Talks Life Since ‘American Idol,’ Upcoming Debut Album, Dream Collab With Demi Lovato & More – “Basically I’m singing on other people’s stuff and it’s music that’s, it’s really cool,” Kinstler said in an interview with Music Mayhem. “It’s different from what I usually do.” “I’m also excited to release my original stuff and just show the world this is who I am as an artist. This is what I have to say,” she continued. “And I was so grateful to Idol for giving me the platform and the audience to do that with.” What would you say are your next three big goals within your career? I would say releasing my demo. Well, releasing the album that is currently a demo. I would say, that’s a hard one, releasing my music, going on tour. I want to go on tour. And, working with someone big. – Read more at Music Mayhem
Heartbroken and Milking It: A Candid Conversation with Catie Turner – I just have one last question: after celebrating your EP release, what’s next for you? CT: Well, this pandemic is making the future unknown. What I want to say is “yeah of course I want to tour!” but the pandemic is saying no. So, who knows. The plan for now is just to continue writing songs, the next album is going to be the ‘f—k you” album. I’m really excited to show that side of myself. – Read more at Poptized.com
Caleb Lee Hutchinson Teases Brent-Cobb Produced EP ‘Slot Machine Syndrome’ with Intro Single “Who I Am” – “I’ve lost a lot of my worry about doing the wrong or the right thing, especially given the year we’ve had. No matter what you do, some stuff is just out of your control. When I first came to town, I was worried about the correct thing to do or what was gonna make me successful or whatever. I don’t know if it’s growing up, or if it was just time here, but I realized that I’m not going to be gratified unless I’m doing something that I really believe in,” says Hutchinson. “And I love my last EP. But, from then until now, I just have much more of a sense that I need to do whatever I want.” – Read more at American Songwriter
Kimberley Locke Crowdfunding a Christmas Album – The American Idol season 2 alum has raised $4,3833 of a $15,000 goal with 15 days to go. I created this Kickstarter page to raise funds for my upcoming “Untitled” full length Holiday Album. If you are a Kimberley Locke fan, you know that my last holiday album was released in 2007 with Curb Records and I had three #1 hits from that project. Over the last few years I have released only holiday singles. But this year, 2021 WITH YOUR HELP, I will be releasing another full album as an independent artist. This project is a collaboration with the band EMP3: Eli, Manny & Patrick and JC Santalis, of Raw Recording Studios. One last thing, we are also working on shooting a What’s Cooking With Kimberley Holiday special for TV and/or streaming to support this album. We are in talks with the production team and studio now. I will be sure to give you updates there too! I would love to see your face in the audience. ;) – Contribute at Kickstarter.com
Interview: Jake Hoot opens up about winning ‘The Voice’, working with Kelly Clarkson and his new single ‘Night Left’ – Kelly went through a similar process when she won the first season of ‘American Idol’. Was it useful to have a mentor that understood what you were going through? Absolutely. On that season there was Blake (Shelton), Gwen (Stefani) and John (Legend), and while they didn’t have the singing competition background that Kelly did, I think they all have a grasp of what’s going on. But to have somebody who walked in that world before, especially being the first ‘American Idol’, I do think Kelly does have a different appreciation. She’s kind of like mama bear when it comes to that show. She’s very protective and very much adamant about taking care of all of her people on her team, even people that aren’t on her team she goes out of her way to talk to. While she had her Vegas residency, she would have people from all different teams come out that she had had that personal connection with. She’s just a great person and a great encourager and supporter of all her people. – Read more at Entertainment.Focus
Get to Know Rising Star Emily Piriz – Emily Piriz, 25, hasn’t stopped working on music since appearing on “American Idol” in 2014 (She left in 12th place on season 13). Since then, Piriz has released numerous singles and showcased her vocal gifts on the Telemundo singing competition “La Voz.” Piriz is back with a brand-new track called “I Don’t Want to Be the One,” about a relationship where “you fall out of love, but you don’t want to break their heart.” “Extra” Senior Music Correspondent Adam Weissler spoke with Emily about her new music and more. – Read more at Extra.com
American Idol 7 alum Kristy Lee Cook teases new YouTube clip – Kristy Lee and her family will be featured on the Can-Am Off-Road channel series “Livin’ the Land,” which premiers August 3. Here’s a teaser clip. “Kristy Lee Cook has anchored her life around making the most of everything she has started. At first, she was on the fast track to fame as a career singer, but had to give that up after injuries to her vocal cords. Based in Amarillo, Texas, she has now started a business, TV program and family—all while also being a barrel horse trainer. Livin’ the land? Kristy Lee Cook is just getting started.”
Normani Says Working on ‘Wild Side’ While Her Mother Battles Breast Cancer ‘Really Saved Me’ – This past year, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Normani said. “For me, this work that I was able to put out into the world really saved me, to be completely honest. Even just being on FaceTime with her as she’s going through her chemo and her radiation, and just wanting me to update her on how this video is going, and how the music is coming, it really got her through that. It got my family through the darkest time of our lives.” – Read more at People
Luke Bryan Finds His Purpose Through His Years of Family Loss: ‘We’re Not Promised Another Day’ (People cover story – As the cover story of the new issue of PEOPLE describes, Bryan has endured a series of unthinkable tragedies over the past 25 years. In 1996, his older brother, Chris, was killed in a car accident at age 26. In 2007, his older sister, Kelly, 39, died suddenly of natural causes that are still unexplained. Seven years later, her husband, Lee, 46, succumbed to a heart attack, leaving behind three children, including a 12-year-old son that Bryan and his wife, Caroline, have since raised. – Read more at People
