Month: December 2021

Categories
News Daypop

Ten aboard Norwegian Cruise Line ship test positive for COIVD-19

shutterstock_1728752233

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed that ten passengers and crew members aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship tested positive for coronavirus. The Norwegian Breakaway returned to New Orleans on Sunday after a weeklong cruise.

The Louisiana state health department said its agency as well as Gov. John Bel Edwards, the city of New Orleans and the Port of New Orleans “are aware and working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to initiate existing COVID-19 agreements and protocols with the cruise line.” The ship had stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico. More than 3,200 people were onboard, and they all were to be tested before leaving the ship. The ship has a passenger capacity of 3,964.

The cruise line said the patients were all fully vaccinated and they were asymptomatic. Those who test positive for the virus will be required to travel home in a personal vehicle or self-isolate in accommodations provided by the cruise line. Passengers were given a test to use in three days.

The CDC requires everyone to have a negative test before boarding cruise ships, and vaccinations for those eligible with limited exemptions.

Editorial credit: stef brown / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Go Country 105

Brett Young's a fan of Darius Rucker “through the roof” after they teamed up for his Christmas record

abc-rss-feed-20211206030000

Brett Young was already a huge fan of Darius Rucker, but he was impressed by the veteran performer on a whole new level after working with him on “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” for his holiday record, Brett Young & Friends Sing the Christmas Classics.

“It was one of those moments where I was like, I'm not just a fan of you as an artist. Now I'm a fan of you as a professional and as a singer. Like, through the roof,'” Brett recounts.

Darius was such a pro that he got in and out of the studio in almost no time at all. “He spent more time driving to and from the studio than he did in the studio. That's how quick he sang the vocal on this record,” Brett adds with a laugh. “He was in and out and he crushed it, and it was almost like he was never in the room in the first place.”

As for Darius? He says it was a no-brainer agreeing to be a part of Brett's Christmas project. “I remember him asking me to do it, and I was just honored that he asked me,” the singer explains. “…I love his voice. I love him. So that was a lot of fun, and I'm proud to be on that.”

The two men live in the same neighborhood and they’ve become friends. “He actually asked me while we were playing golf. I was like, Sure, man!'” Darius goes on to say.

The two friends will reunite on Wednesday for the CMT Crossroads Christmas: Brett Young & Friends holiday special. Tune in at 8 p.m. ET on CMT.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

Dan + Shay celebrate the holiday season with new music video for “Officially Christmas”

shutterstock_1459487603

Dan + Shay are celebrating this holiday season by sharing a new music video for their song, “Officially Christmas.”  The duo announced on Instagram: “IT’S ALREADY DECEMBER, the snow’s fallin’ too (well, everywhere but nashville), so we made an officially christmas music video for you.”

Dan + Shay have released a handful of Christmas songs over the past couple of years, including “Pick Out a Christmas Tree” earlier this year. That song is currently the most-streamed holiday number across all genres in the U.S.

Take a look at the video for “Officially Christmas” – here.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Pistol Annies to air new holiday show “Pistol Annies Hell of a Holiday Special”

shutterstock_97456904

Country trio Pistol Annies will stream their first ever holiday special, titled Pistol Annies Hell of a Holiday Special.  The program will be hosted by country radio personality Blair Garner and can be viewed on the group’s Facebook page, starting December 15 at 8 p.m. ET. Pistol Annies members Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe will perform songs from their new album and conduct a sit-down interview. The trio also say it will serve as a fundraiser for the Music Health Alliance, writing on Instagram,“It’s gonna be a hell of a holiday…special!  December 15th, we’re performing songs off the record, sharing some memories and chatting with @blairgarner and it’s all to benefit an organization dear to our hearts, @musichealthalliance”

The trio has also released an official video for “Snow Globe,” capturing a live performance of the track. Hell of a Holiday features 10 original tracks written by the Pistol Annies, plus standards including “Sleigh Ride,” Merle Haggard’s “If We Make it Through December,” and “Auld Lang Syne.”

The Pistol Annies Hell of a Holiday Special will stream on the group’s Facebook page December 15 at 8 p.m. ET.

Pistol Annies Announce ‘Hell Of A Holiday” Christmas Special

Editorial credit: Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi team up for new song from the film ‘Don’t Look Up’

shutterstock_1252262761

Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi have dropped their collaborative single “Just Look Up” from the upcoming film Don’t Look Up, which arrives in select theaters on December 10 and will be streaming on Netflix starting December 24.

Don’t Look Up follows an astronomy graduate student (played by Jennifer Lawrence) and her professor (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio) after they discover that a comet is going to crash into the Earth. Grande and Kid Cudi act in the film alongside Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, and Ron Perlman.

“Just Look Up” can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Christina Aguilera to receive the first-ever ‘Music Icon Award’ at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards

shutterstock_1095350039

Christina Aguilera will be honored with the first-ever “Music Icon” award this year’s People’s Choice Awards. Aguilera will also perform a medley of hits and some new music at the awards show. Aguilera’s award will be presented by Becky G, who is featured on Aguilera’s new single “Pa’ Mis Muchachas.”

Jen Neal of NBC in a press release: “There is a reason Christina Aguilera is referred to as ‘the voice of our generation.’ She not only has an extraordinary voice, but as a creator, produces music that evokes true emotion and resonates across so many different demographics. Christina is an idol and we cannot wait to celebrate her successes and present her with the inaugural ‘Music Icon’ award.”

The People’s Choice Awards puts the power in the hands of the fans, allowing them to vote for their favorites across all forms of entertainment. This year’s event sees F9 lead the film categories with eight nominations, while This Is Us tops the TV categories with six nominations. Justin Bieber also received 10 music nominations.

The 2021 People’s Choice Awards, hosted by Kenan Thompson, will air simultaneously on NBC and E! on Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET.

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Go Country 105

Kelsea Ballerini celebrates four years of marriage to Morgan Evans with a mini-poem

abc-rss-feed-20211203141500

Kelsea Ballerini and her singer-songwriter husband, Morgan Evans, marked four years of marriage on Thursday, and she celebrated by sharing a snapshot of the two of them together.

In the caption of her post, Kelsea shared her feelings for her husband in a few words: “You are etched into me / A heart carved on a tree / permanent,” she wrote.

It makes sense that the singer would want to share her feelings through rhyme: This year, she dove into the world of poetry, temporarily trading her guitar for pen and ink to release her new collection of poems, Feel Your Way Through. In the book, she explores themes of body image, relationships, personal growth, family dynamics and more.

Morgan shared the same snap on his Instagram, with an equally heartfelt — if not quite as poetic — caption.

“Happy Anniversary baaaaaabe!!! 4 years on this crazy, beautiful, winding road together…and I wouldn't wanna be riding it with anybody else! I love you,” he wrote.

Fans who saw Kelsea and Morgan's anniversary picture may have been surprised to see that the singer has made a big switch in her appearance, too, trading in her trademark blonde locks for a brunette look. In a previous post, she explained that her blonde hair is “hibernat[ing] for the winter,” calling her darker hairstyle “au naturale.”

 

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Nashville notes

abc-rss-feed-20211203140000

Brett Eldredge discusses his new holiday album and all things festive in a new Christmas-themed Q&A. You can watch the full interview on YouTube now.

Lainey Wilson, Granger Smith and Chase Rice are featured artists on “Beer Song,” the newest track off of the Hardy-curated Hixtape: Vol 2. The full project comes out next Friday.

MacKenzie Porter just dropped her newest song, “Coming Soon to a Bar Near You.” Most recently, you can catch her as Dustin Lynch's duet partner on his single, “Thinking Bout You.”

 

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Luke Bryan + Morgan Wallen are headliners for the inaugural TidalWave Music Festival

abc-rss-feed-20211203120314

Luke Bryan and Morgan Wallen have just been announced as the headlining acts for TidalWave Music Festival, a brand-new country event that’s coming to the beach of New Jersey’s Atlantic City in 2022.

The three-day fest will take place August 12-14. Luke and Morgan are each scheduled to headline one day, with an additional headliner expected to be announced soon.

Taking place alongside Atlantic City’s Boardwalk, concertgoers will be able to take in the area’s many attractions — such as saltwater taffy shops, casinos and the Steel Pier amusement park — in between sets.

Other artists performing on the main stage include Riley Green, Hardy, Runaway June, Travis Denning, Breland and more. The event will also feature a second stage, with a lineup to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for TidalWave Music Festival go on sale December 13 at 10 a.m. ET. Three-day general admission passes start at $249, and VIP packages are available.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

“Slow Down Summer”: Thomas Rhett yearns to turn back the clock in his flashback-filled new video

abc-rss-feed-20211203110000

Thomas Rhett's “Slow Down Summer” tells the story of young love that's racing against the clock, with both people in the relationship desperately clinging to the time they've got left together before the seasons change and their busy lives pull them apart.

In his just-released music video, the singer sets a visual component to his song, following two people as they head into colder weather but can't forget the memories of those blissful summer days.

In one scene, a young guy is driving along a snow-covered road, and when he looks over to the passenger seat, the weather instantly changes to hot and sunny, and he sees the girl he lost smiling back at him from the shotgun seat.

“Slow Down Summer” is the lead single from Thomas' next album, Where We Started, due out in early 2022. He's been on a creative hot streak lately, as Country Again: Side A just came out earlier this year, and Side B of that double album is due out in the fall of 2022.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.