Andrea Martin: En Vogue and Blu Cantrell songwriter dies at 49

 Andrea Martin, who co-wrote hits including En Vogue's Don't Let Go (Love), has died at the age of 49.

Martin also worked on such 90s tunes as SWV's You're the One and Angie Stone's Wish I Didn't Miss You.

She had two British number ones in the early 2000s with Blu Cantrell's Breathe featuring Sean Paul and Tomcraft's Loneliness.

"It is with a heavy heart we inform you of the passing of our beautiful Andrea Martin," a statement on Instagram said.

"Her impact will continue to be felt and heard for a lifetime. Andrea will always be remembered for her passion and dedication to her family and friends."

A cause of death was not given.

Martin also released her own music including album The Best of Me in 1998. But it was En Vogue's Don't Let Go (Love) that gave her her greatest commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic, making it to number two in the US and number five in the UK.

She was also behind Another Level's Be Alone No More, which got to number six in the UK 1998, and Leona Lewis's Better in Time, which reached number two in 2008. And Martin worked with X Factor winner Alexandra Burke on her 2009 debut album, Overcome.

Ivan Matias, her old schoolfriend and longtime songwriting collaborator, posted a tribute on Instagram.

He described their connection as a "divine union", adding that "she was the most talented female writer I've ever known".

He wrote: "Her musical instinct and passion remain unmatched. Gone too soon."

 

Warner Music Group and Twitch ink ‘first-of-its-kind’ partnership

(MBW)

Warner Music Group (WMG) and Twitch have struck what the two companies call a “first-of-its-kind” partnership – marking the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform’s first partnership with a major record company.

 The agreement with Warner Music Group’s recorded music business will see the launch of WMG artist channels, including Warner Records stars Bella Poarch and Saweetie and Atlantic Records’ viral breakout singer/producer Sueco, featuring exclusive content and behind-the-scenes material.

A standalone WMG music space featuring premium music-centric programming will also be created and promises to be “an up-to-the-minute exclusive experience”.

It will feature professionally produced original programming curated by digital media company IMGN, which WMG acquired last year.

According to a media statement, the move “empowers Warner Music’s talent to tap into Twitch’s unique creator-driven model, opening up additional income opportunities, as well as access to Twitch’s fan engagement tools to get to know their audiences better”.

Upcoming programming includes ‘The Drop’, where hosts and audience talk about the latest news from the world of music with special guests and performances and ‘Freestyle Throwdown’, in which Twitch rap talent show.

Additional program, ‘The One’, will see guest artists perform songs that inspired them and take audience questions, as well as meet up-and-coming Twitch musicians that they have inspired in turn.

Twitch has now inked two significant music business deals in less than two weeks.

Last week, Twitch and The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) announced an agreement, which, in a statement they explained will see them “work together to build productive partnerships between the service and music publishers”.

Twitch has also announced that it has created a new process that participating music rights holders, including WMG, can opt into to report certain uses of their music, “to address when creators inadvertently or incidentally use music in their streams”.

 Oana Ruxandra, Chief Digital Officer and EVP, Business Development, WMG said: ”It’s clear that Twitch is an indispensable space for all types of creators to connect with their fan communities.

“Our partnership creates an on-ramp for artists to come onto the service with strong support from Twitch, opening up an entirely new source of incremental revenue.

“Between the artist-specific channels and the premium shows we’re planning to launch, music lovers will get a refreshing new view into the world of music and the lives of their favorite artists.”

Tracy Chan, VP, Head of Music, Twitch added: “Twitch has always been – and will continue to be – creator first. For fans, artists and all creators, this is a great step forward.

“The myriad opportunities for fans and artists to forge meaningful, direct and valued relationships on Twitch continue to expand every day.

“Working together, we can create new paradigms and opportunities for artists and the Twitch community, all grounded in the passion of fans.

“We appreciate the progressive approach of our colleagues at Warner Music and look forward to a productive partnership.”

 

VOLBEAT Announces Eighth Album, 'Servant Of The Mind', Shares New Song 'Shotgun Blues'

 (blabbermouth.net)

 Danish/American rock and rollers VOLBEAT will release their eighth studio album, "Servant Of The Mind", on December 3 via Republic Records. The effort will be available in standard CD, deluxe 2LP vinyl (in various limited-edition variants) and a deluxe digital edition.

For "Servant Of The Mind", the band, which consists of Michael Poulsen (guitars/vocals), Jon Larsen (drums), Rob Caggiano (guitars) and Kaspar Boye Larsen (bass) took their signature heavy metal, psychobilly and punk 'n' roll sound up a notch while showcasing Poulsen's keen ability for songwriting and storytelling.

"I wrote the whole album in three months," recalls Poulsen, "I was in a good place and mood while at home, and had a captive audience of myself… There are a lot of VOLBEAT signatures in it. If you go back to the first record and compare it to where we are now, you can hear how the band has developed its style, while keeping the signature sound."

To coincide with the album announcement, the band has released the new single "Shotgun Blues", an anthemic track in which Poulsen explores the ghostly events he recently experienced upon moving into a new home.

"Every time you move into a house, you bring dead people with you," he explains. "Weird stuff happens when I move into a [new] house… it's very otherworldly." Watch the lyric video below.

The album also includes the "double barrel" of summer songs the band released this past June: "Wait A Minute My Girl" and "Dagen Før" (featuring Stine Bramsen), the former of which became the band's ninth number one single on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

Other songs on the album weave intricate and fascinating tales. "The Sacred Stones" tells the story of "an earthly being who has committed himself to the dark side. He is on a mission, speaking to darker forces and fallen angels." Meanwhile, "The Devil Rages On" looks at the idea of the devil taking human form. Album opener "Temple Of Ekur" returns to the ancient themes explored in past songs such as "The Gates Of Babylon", while the epic album closer "Lasse's Birgita" explores the story of the first witch burnings to occur in Sweden in 1471.

"Servant Of The Mind" standard edition track listing:

01. Temple Of Ekur
02. Wait A Minute My Girl
03. The Sacred Stones
04. Shotgun Blues
05. The Devil Rages On
06. Say No More
07. Heaven's Descent
08. Dagen Før (feat. Stine Bramsen)
09. The Passenger
10. Step Into Light
11. Becoming
12. Mindlock
13. Lasse's Birgitta

Deluxe 2 CD/2 LP and digital deluxe bonus tracks:

14. Return To None (WOLFBRIGADE cover)
15. Domino (THE CRAMPS/ROY ORBISON cover)
16. Shotgun Blues (feat. Dave Matrise from JUNGLE ROT)
17. Dagen Før (Michael Vox Version)

Vinyl variants (North America)

* Standard 180g black vinyl 2LP
* Translucent Rust 2 LP – Volbeat.dk exclusive, limited to 550
* Transparent Yellow 2 LP – Revolver magazine exclusive, limited to 400
* Mystery Color LP2 – indie retail exclusive, limited to 100

Vinyl variants (Europe)

* Standard 180g black vinyl 2 LP
* Crystal Clear 2 LP, volbeat.dk exclusive, limited to 2,000
* Glow In The Dark 2 LP, EMP exclusive, limited to 2,000
* Orange and Blue 2 LP, UMG exclusive, limited to 3,100
* Danish Red and White 2 LP – only available in Denmark, limited to 2,000

VOLBEAT is two decades deep into a career that has found them sharing stages with genre legends like BLACK SABBATH, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD, SLIPKNOT, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and more. They have racked up nearly three billion cumulative streams over the course of their career, notched a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy nomination for "Room 24" (featuring King Diamond) from 2014's acclaimed (and gold-selling) "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", and have grabbed multiple Danish Music Awards. Not ones to rest on their laurels, their forthcoming album "Servant Of The Mind", which was written and recorded during the shutdown and quarantine necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is introspective but pulls no punches and is no less raucous or driving than their previous efforts.

Tomorrow, the band kicks off their "Wait A Minute… Let's Tour" run, their first U.S. tour in two years, at Atlanta's The Tabernacle with shows in cities including Oklahoma City, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Special guests THE HU, TWIN TEMPLE and MUNICIPAL WASTE will be joining them for select dates. Earlier this week, the band also announced their 2022 co-headlining arena tour with GHOST and special guests TWIN TEMPLE, coming to cities including Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix.

Since forming in 2001, VOLBEAT has gone from the clubs of Copenhagen to headlining stages around the world, including the famed Telia Parken stadium in Denmark (becoming the only domestic artist to ever sell out the venue). Over the course of seven record-breaking albums the band has picked up number one songs (including nine No. 1s on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart and counting, the most of any band based outside of North America), multi-platinum certifications, awards and accolades all over the planet. Their latest album, "Rewind, Replay, Rebound", was released in August 2019 and has spawned the hit singles "Last Day Under The Sun", "Die To Live" (featuring Neil Fallon) and "Leviathan". A live album featuring songs recorded during the subsequent world tour, "Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live In Deutschland", was released digitally in November 2020. Most recently, they contributed a cover of "Don't Tread On Me" to "The Metallica Blacklist", with all proceeds from the track benefiting METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation and the Børne Cancer Fonden of Denmark.

Fugees announce reunion world tour, 25 years after The Score

(the guardian)

The acclaimed hip-hop group will reunite for their first live shows in 15 years to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their Grammy-winning album

Hip-hop group the Fugees is set to tour around the world to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their acclaimed album The Score.

The dates will mark their first shows in 15 years, reuniting Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel and taking them to 12 cities across the world.

“The Fugees have a complex but impactful history,” said Hill in a statement. “I decided to honor this significant project, its anniversary, and the fans who appreciated the music by creating a peaceful platform where we could unite, perform the music we loved, and set an example of reconciliation for the world.”

Jean added: “As I celebrate 25 years with the Fugees, my first memory was that we vowed, from the gate, we would not just do music we would be a movement. We would be a voice for the un-heard, and in these challenging times, I am grateful once again, that God has brought us together.”

The first performance will take place in New York at an undisclosed location on 22 September, which will then be recorded and shown as part of Global Citizen Live, a global broadcast event calling on world leaders to defend the planet and defeat poverty. The group is also partnering with Global Citizen to work on philanthropic initiatives around the tour.

They will then travel to locations including Chicago, Miami, Paris and London before finishing the tour at unconfirmed cities in Nigeria and Ghana.

The Score, released to great acclaim in 1996, earned the Fugees two Grammy awards and made them the first hip-hop group ever to be nominated for album of the year. It featured singles Ready or Not and Killing Me Softly and sold over 22m copies worldwide. It was their second album, after 1994’s Blunted on Reality, as well as their last. Hill went on to record The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998, which won five Grammys while Jean and Michel also saw success in their solo endeavours.

The group briefly reunited in 2005 for the single Take It Easy. It’s not been confirmed as to whether the new tour will also bring about any new music.

 

Universal Music dances to $55 billion in electric stock market debut

 (Reuters) 

Universal Music Group's (UMG.AS) shares leapt more than a third in their stock market debut on Tuesday as investors bet a boom in music streaming still has a long way to run.

The world's biggest music label, which represents musicians and song catalogues from Billie Eilish to The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, saw its market value leap to 47 billion euros ($55 billion) in Europe's largest listing of the year.

The company was spun off by France's Vivendi (VIV.PA), which handed a 60% stake in Universal to its shareholders. Vivendi saw its market value drop by two thirds to about 12 billion euros, according to Refinitiv data, as it refocuses on other media assets such as pay TV brand Canal+.

Big winners from the Amsterdam listing include U.S. hedge fund billionaire William Ackman and China's Tencent (0700.HK), alongside Vivendi's controlling shareholder Vincent Bollore, who are retaining large slices of Universal. read more

Universal Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge will also get bonuses linked to the listing that a source close to the company said would amount to at least $140 million.

Universal's shares were trading at 24.97 euros by mid-session trading, up around 35% from their reference price of 18.50 euros. Shares in Bollore (BOLL.PA), which holds 27% of Vivendi, were up 2.4%, while the Amsterdam-listed shares of Ackman's Pershing (PSH.AS) were up 4%.

At that price, Universal - the biggest of the "big three" record labels - trades at a 25% premium to its only listed competitor, Warner Music (WMG.O), said analyst Matti Littunen of Bernstein. Both compete with Sony Music .

"No sign of a European discount here," Littunen said in a note, adding that the stock's performance would reduce pressure to seek a dual U.S. listing for Universal, which is based in Hilversum, Netherlands, but has headquarters in Santa Monica, California.

The strong debut is also a vindication for Ackman, who was forced into an embarrassing U-turn after U.S. regulators blocked his plans to invest into Universal via his special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in July.

Ackman, whose grandfather was a songwriter, instead opted to take a 10% stake via his main Pershing Square hedge fund, which is now sitting on a paper gain of more than 30%.

BEATLES TO BIEBER

Amid the streaming boom, Universal - whose other hit singers and catalogues include Justin Bieber and The Beatles - hopes to build on deals with ad-supported sites such as TikTok and YouTube as well as streamers led by Spotify.

"I believe that we're only at the beginning of the next wave of growth as music subscription and ad-supported consumption is scaling globally and has a long runaway ahead," Grainge told Reuters.

Part of Universal's business derives from the rights attached to its huge catalogue, and it also collects royalties for the artists it represents across social media platforms and performance fees whenever their songs are played.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit live concerts and Universal's merchandising business, but ad-supported revenues have picked up after a blip.

Its flotation carries high stakes for Vivendi, which hopes to rid itself of a conglomerate discount that it believes has weighed on its shares.

Universal has increased sales for six years in a row, with core earnings of 1.36 billion euros in 2020 on revenue of 7.43 billion euros. It has forecast revenue growth of at least 10% this year and in the high single digits after that. 

The listing is the latest win for Euronext in Amsterdam, which has grown as a financial centre since Britain's departure from the European Union. Before Universal, Amsterdam had attracted a record 14 IPOs this year.

The deal was handled by 17 banks which are expected to make a combined $60-$65 million in fees from advising Vivendi and Universal, with BNP Paribas and other lead advisers taking the largest share, according to Refinitiv estimates.

 

 

Sarah Dash, who sang on 'Lady Marmalade' with Labelle, dies at 76

By Variety

"We were just on-stage together on Saturday and it was such a powerful and special moment," Patti LaBelle said in an Instagram post.

LOS ANGELES - Sarah Dash, the legendary R&B singer who gained prominence as part of the group Labelle in the 1970s, has died. She was 76.

                                             Labelle's publicist confirmed Dash's death to Variety.

Trenton, New Jersey, Mayor Reed Gusciora also shared the news on his Facebook page, writing: "Our         resident legend and Trenton's very first music ambassador, Sarah Dash, has passed away... Our motto, 'Trenton Makes, the World Takes' was alive and well with Sarah. What Sarah made was beautiful music refined by a lifetime of experience and numerous contributions to the arts and the community. What the world takes is a timeless inspiration of a woman who touched the highest peaks of stardom and never forgot where she came from."

Beyond Labelle, Dash lent her smooth vocals to the recordings and live shows of some of the biggest artists in music, including the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, Stevie Wonder, Laura Nyro, Alice Cooper, the O'Jays, Wilson Pickett, Bo Diddley and more. She also had a lucrative solo career, seeing success with songs like 1978's "Sinner Man" and 1983's "Low Down Dirty Rhythm."

Born in Trenton, Dash got her start singing gospel music as the daughter of a pastor. After moving to Philadelphia in the '60s, Dash met Patti LaBelle, Cindy Birdsong and Nona Hendryx, and the quartet soon formed the Bluebelles, which would later become Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. In 1967, Birdsong departed the group to join the Supremes and the trio changed their name to Labelle. After signing to Warner Bros. Records, Labelle released its self-titled debut album in 1971, followed by "Moon Shadow" in 1972. Labelle's mainstream success came with a trio of albums released in the mid-'70s: "Nightbirds," "Phoenix" and "Chameleon." "Lady Marmalade," a single from "Nightbirds," proved to be the group's most successful song, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and earning international acclaim.

 

 

Linebug remind of our humanity with new EP “I Hold Myself Up By Looking At You”

(goodbecausedanish.com)

Music touches us in many ways. It influences our mood, calms us down, and stabilises emotions. Music combined with visuals resonates even better. When it comes to that, hardly anyone is more creative than Linebug. Having shared a few of their masterpieces and enjoyed a number of their emotive live shows, we are thrilled about their new EP “I Hold Myself Up By Looking At You”. The duo told us in a video interview about how it came together.

Linebug’s art has always been an intense presentation of intimate emotions, and it stays that way on “I Hold Myself Up By Looking At You”. Line Bøgh puts her heart in her palm and hands it to the listener in every song.  There is space for vulnerability, honesty, fear, self-doubt… In the end, comfort and happiness radiate from these songs. As the title suggests, it is all about having a shelter, a person or a passion to lean on in hard times. If you have that, you will get through whatever life brings.

 We encourage you to watch Linebug’s music videos, including the most recent “Amusement Park”, featuring Christan Gundtoft’s beautiful visuals. Appreciate this EP with your eyes as well as your ears. Soft arrangements, dreamy vocals, melancholic melodies and lyrics filled with pure, unapologetic emotions make “I Hold Myself Up By Looking At You” a lovely piece of music, orbiting the outskirts of acoustic pop, indie singer-songwriter style, and a hint of synth-pop. Together with the visuals, this project is a unique one worth following.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=OMogxnC3bjo&feature=youtu.be&skip_registered_account_check=true

String ensemble WHO KILLED BAMBI add depth to Danish pop on new LP

 (goodbecausedanish.com)

WHO KILLED BAMBI have made their name for breathtaking string arrangements and collaborations with music industry giants like Father John Misty, Rod Stewart, Turboweekend, and many more. Now, the Danish string sextet is ready with their new album “12”. This is a compilation of twelve songs, each a joint work with different Nordic artists to reimagine their original material.

Though classically trained in an old-fashioned way, the group of violists, violinists, and cellists have no fear of branching out into pop culture. You will hear songs rooted in pop, electropop, folk, and rock — all transformed into touching string arrangements by Mette Dahl Kristensen, who composes, arranges, and plays the viola in WHO KILLED BAMBI. The ensemble collaborated with Eivør, Peter Wangel, Kaspar Kaae (Cody), Sandra Kolstad, Lydmor, Asbjørn, Ida Wenøe, Kellermensch, Therese Aune, Julie Maria, Jonas H. Petersen and Bjørn Fjæstad.

WHO KILLED BAMBI surround bariton voices such as Wangel’s in “My Father 061053” just as effortlessly as a soprano, like the Faroese singer Eivør in her “Falling Free”. All of the twelve songs have their own ambience and appeal. However, a few moved us personally in particular. 

Asbjørn – Be Human

Asbjørn‘s song “Be Human” is one of the purest and most honest confessions of a desire we all share: to be treated with kindness, to be accepted. The string arrangement introduced by WHO KILLED BAMBI underlines this purity and adds a note of vulnerability. Asbjørn appears in front of the listener without any shields, armed only with hope and faith in humanity. “Can I just be me?” he pleads, and the strings in the background echo that question.

Wangel – “My Father 061053”

Peter Wangel‘s deep, vibrant vocals fall on the strings in “My Father” as if they are touching grass after the rain. The synergy between the music and Wangel’s voice makes the song resonate even stronger, as the minimalistic arrangement leaves plenty of room for the lyrics to sink in. There is no rush. Both the singer and the string ensemble sound peaceful and certain of their performance. Though you can hear the strings, they melt together with the vocals in a way that “My Father” sounds almost like an acapella song at times. How amazing it is that music can create a feeling of silence!

Ida Wenøe – “Til Jeg Har Dig”

Most of Ida Wenøe‘s recent songs have been English, but “Til Jeg Har Dig”, written a couple years ago, is in Danish. Even though my Danish is very limited, and German is my mother tongue, I am so explicitly touched by this language when it’s sung. It feels unwieldy; the words don’t come out as smoothly as they would in English, and somehow, this makes them feel especially raw and honest. Such words hit me more directly. WHO KILLED BAMBI and their delicate strings accentuate this effect and add a much-welcomed layer of drama to it. 

Kellermensch – “Lost At Sea”

Kellermensch have been rocking since 2006. And they rock hard. So hard, you might call them metal. Singer Sebastian Wolff embodies the raspy voice you would expect from that genre but adds a pinch of blues into his interpretations. Picking up on this pinch of blues is “Lost At Sea” in the version with WHO KILLED BAMBI. Filled with drums and electric guitars in its original form, the all-string arrangement turns this grand song delicate, tragic even. Now it is the perfect soundtrack for a Nordic Noir drama.

Lydmor – “Shanghai Roar”

We know Lydmor as an eccentric electropop artist. The song “Shanghai Roar” from her 2018 album “I Told You I’d Tell Them Our Story”, inspired by a trip to China, is already epic in its original form. But let me tell you, WHO KILLED BAMBI take this up a whole new level. Lydmor’s beaming vocals are nuanced by the delightful strings and bring to mind a vast metropolis skyline. You can almost feel the morning sun rays glistening through the streets.