Politics, pop culture and entertainment news of interest to the LGBTQ community
Dance into the weekend with the latest from Carly Rae Jepsen, “Cut To The Feeling.”
Featured in the upcoming animated movie LEAP!, the song is classic Jepsen: upbeat, euphoric, dance-around-the-room pop.
The video pairs light-hearted behind-the-scenes footage with a high-energy sound studio performance shot in black and white.
You can also catch the popster tonight when she appears on Bleachers’ MTV Unplugged episode filmed at New Jersey’s famed Stone Pony venue.
Gryffin releases the official video for his new latest single “Love In Ruins,” featuring London singer-songwriter Sinead Harnett.
Billboard calls it “a breezy cut” that “melds the worlds of indie and dance,” while Earmilk notes its “melodic tone, with ambient synths and strumming guitar,” as “Harnett’s pained voice tells a story of love lost over gentle production.”
“Love in Ruins” follows his previous single “Feel Good” with Illenium and featuring Daya. Described by Billboard as “melodic ear candy,” “Feel Good” has racked up more than 43 million Spotify plays since its release in March.
I love hooky melodic ambient tracks that have a chill vibe that can suit afternoon pool time or late night social time. The texture of the track just feels good.
I’ve previously written about Gryffin here.
Watch the “Love In Ruins” video below. For tour dates and more, head over to gryffinofficial.com
As a member of the a cappella group Pentatonix Kirstin Maldonado has won 3 GRAMMY® Awards, and with her new EP – L O V E – moves into an exciting new chapter in her career, rebranding herself as kirstin and debuting the EP’s lead single, “Break a Little.”
The multi-platinum singer/songwriter’s solo debut EP L O V E is available now for preorder and will be released on July 14th via RCA Records.
“I’m so proud of ‘Break A Little’,” Kirstin said in a statement. “I always wanted to write a sad song that sounds happy. I think everyone can relate to this emotion. It’s about longing for something. You’re attracted to a vice or person you know you shouldn’t come back to, but you can’t help it.”
Check out the Madison Mars remix of “Break a Little” below.
I think this remix actually serves the song better than the original ballad soundscape.
Ariana and the Rose, fueled by polar opposites love and loss, and personal uncertainty, releases her new synth-pop EP ‘Retrograde’ out now.
Check out her recently-released single “Love You Lately” below.
According to Noisey, the collaboration with LA electro-R&B duo RKCB “[brings] out a more sultry, R&B-toned side to Ariana,” while the song “captures the sting of relationship disintegration” (Noisey)
“This EP marks the end of a period of my life that most literally felt like it was in retrograde,” says Ariana (real name Ariana DiLorenzo). “Each track encapsulates these moments over the last year or so where I was really defining myself personally and artistically and the music is a sonic exploration of that growth and ultimately personal transformation.”
With a background in theater performance, Ariana embraces an audio-visual approach to creativity, and has curated an interactive performance and music event called Light + Space, a performance that transcends the traditional boundaries of a concert.
The native New Yorker also finds her music reaches across the boundaries of sexuality and community.
As a longtime LGBT ally, Ariana told ChicagoPride in 2014:
Growing up in New York, the LGBT community never felt separate to me in anyway, they were just my friends, my best friends in most cases. I’ve witnessed, first hand, the trials and the triumphs of what it means to grow up in a society that is finally coming around to acceptance and I’m honored to get to stand by my friends while all of this is happening.
I’ve been so fortunate to be accepted as an artist by the LGBT community and am honored to get to perform at the celebrations. Honestly, it’s the best reason to put on a show. To celebrate anyone and everyone who is living their lives the way that makes them happy. I’m just trying to make that special day even better and hopefully get everyone dancing in the process!
The euphoric buzz of New York, over cocktails on the edge of evening, alive with possibilities… anything goes.
Vocalist, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg re-imagines it all on her new album, With a Twist. Coming off a recent Juno Award (Canada’s version of The Grammys) for her first collection, Bria, Skonberg spins her cool and confident vocal style—and her sleek and timeless jazz chops—into a program that playfully nods to tradition while always looking ahead.
With a Twist is available May 19, 2017.
Of the mood she was going after on With a Twist Skonberg says: “The inspiration was love and adventure, and the many twists and turns and tunnels you can get into. It’s a little about my time in New York, a little bit of cocktail culture. The musical inspiration was a modern-day Esquivel, Perez Prado, maybe some Spike Jones. It’s just important to me to put some love and positivity out into the world right now.”
I think this sounds great – boppy, bouncy, fresh and fun.
Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as one of the “most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation,” Bria Skonberg was recognized last summer as one of “25 for the Future” by DownBeat magazine and Vanity Fair cited her as a Millennial “Shaking Up the Jazz World.”
Terrific new album available today from Tony, Grammy and NAACP Award winner Billy Porter, titled Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers.
As regular Randy Report readers know, Billy originated the role of ‘Lola’ in the Broadway hit Kinky Boots, to widespread acclaim winning the 2013 Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards.
On this project, Billy is not only the artist but serves as “Producer/Content Curator” on the album.
The album, which features new, soulful takes on classic Richard Rodgers songs, includes solos and duets featuring some of today’s most compelling artists.
The complete track listing for Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers is as follows:
1. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (Pentatonix & Billy Porter)
2. My Romance (Leslie Odom Jr.)
3. If I Loved You (Renée Elise Goldsberry & Christopher Jackson)
4. With a Song in My Heart (Brandon Victor Dixon & Joshua Henry)
5. I Have Dreamed (Patina Miller)
6. My Funny Valentine (Cynthia Erivo)
7. I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair (Todrick Hall & Billy Porter)
8. This Nearly was Mine (Deborah Cox)
9. Bewitched (Ledisi featuring Zaire Park)
10. Carefully Taught (India.Arie & Billy Porter)
11. Lady is a Tramp (Billy Porter featuring Zaire Park)
12. Edelweiss (Billy Porter)
“I like to think of this as the Richard Rodgers version of the Hamilton Mixtapes,” Porter said. “These are classic songs that everybody knows and loves, and I’m so excited for people to hear them in a brand new way.”
This is Billy’s fourth album following the previously released Untitled, At the Corner of Broadway + Soul – LIVE, and Billy’s Back on Broadway.
Other theatre appearances include Shuffle Along, Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Mo, Grease, Smokey Joe’s Cafe all on Broadway; plus Dreamgirls, Angels in America, The Merchant of Venice, Radiant Baby, Birdie Blue, Songs for a New World, Ghetto Superstar (one-man show), Topdog/Underdog, King Lear.
Check out a few tracks from Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers below, including Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo’s luscious take on “My Funny Valentine” and Billy dueting with 4-time Grammy Award winner India.Arie on “Carefully Taught.”
If you’re in the New York City area, Billy and India.Arie will be doing a CD signing at the Barnes & Noble on the Upper East Side in Manhattan on Monday. Details below.