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Rock Duo The Manic Boys And Girls Club’s “We’ll Be Fine” New Single Is Out Now

Eric Alper
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Rock Duo The Manic Boys And Girls Club’s “We’ll Be Fine” New Single Is Out Now

Canadian rock duo The Manic Boys and Girls Club consists of co-fronts and siblings Bela and Fernando Ferreira, whose haunting music is a mix of her vocals and his harmony blended with synth, guitar, and undertones of rock and pop. Their personal, introspective lyrics are informed by the pair’s upbringing as strict Catholics in rural Portugal. “The Manic Boys and Girls Club is more than a band,” they explain. “It is an escape from the submissive existence that was reality, an escape from the disposable music packaged for the masses, and an escape for any misfit looking to join the club.”

“We’ll Be Fine” the latest single from their acclaimed self-titled EP, the collection of five songs recounts the two loners’ experiences touring in a van, as well as interpersonal relationships. “Every song starts with a lyric and a melody,” they say. “No matter how it is produced, every one of our songs can be a lullaby.”

But they did lose some sleep perfecting “We’ll Be Fine.” There are songs that “come together super-fast and you know exactly what you hear in your head; this was not the case for ‘We’ll Be Fine.’ I think,” offers Fernando, “because it has always been a pretty important song to us, since the first demos or voice memo versions of its existence. So… we explored and spent many hours messing around with guitar tones and ambient soundscapes, we rearranged and made rewrite after rewrite a lot before mixing. Bela wanted to go back into the studio and re-do some vocals. Gavin Brown (who was producing and mixing) was very much against the idea. So, we did the obvious appropriate thing: We waited till he was away for a weekend, booked the studio and engineer, and, on our own, did it anyway!”

Forget about the life we left behind
Forget about the drugs that kept us high
We were born for so much more
Our time is now
Forget about the books we never read
Forget about the words we could have said
We were born for so much more
Our time is now

The inspiration behind the song is just personal experience, says Fernando. “I don’t think either of us is really able to give life advice to anyone… but the idea is to have hope in the future. It’s like, ‘Yeah, we’ve made mistakes,’ but all we can do is live in the present, look forward, and not have our future affected by whatever regret, or past, is weighing us down.”

Country Blues Rockers The Prairie Dogz Can “Almost See The Sun” In New Single

Eric Alper
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Country Blues Rockers The Prairie Dogz Can “Almost See The Sun” In New Single

Okotoks, Alberta-based country-rock and blues band The Prairie Dogz announce the release of their new single, “Almost See the Sun,” this month. The song is a hard-driving, heartfelt exploration of how to cope with the feelings of isolation and lack of connection that have no-doubt plagued many over the past few years.

The song’s narrator “finds himself in a dystopian world, in a society suffering from years of oppression,” vocalist and co-writer Keith Hambrook says. “He sees the loss of hope on peoples’ faces but finds solace and peace by seeing the woman he loves. He gains a brighter perspective because of his connection with her.” It’s that holding out for hope of a happier future that keeps him going in bleak times, with the hard-rock riffs and rhythms bolstering the emotional lyrics.

“Break down these walls that kept us alone/ Through the grace of God, I’m coming home,” Kohen sings.

The track was produced in collaboration with Calgary’s Jeff Muller and the Oregon-based Ron Nevison (Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Heart). It was Nevison’s idea to recruit the participation of renowned drummer Denny Fongheiser (Heart, Tracy Chapman, Counting Crows, Theme song from “Friends,” “Hakuna Matata”).

“It was humbling to work with people responsible for so much iconic music,” Hambrook says.

The current five-piece lineup of The Prairie Dogz includes Kohen on lead vocals, Hambrook on guitar, vocals and keyboard;; Terry Studd on guitar and vocals; Dave Fast on bass; and Martin Wright on drums.

Hambrook, Kohen and Studd first met as members of a successful classic-rock cover band and decided after years of touring together that it was time to strike out on their own. They owe their sound in part to the blend of Kohen’s blues-influenced vocals and Hambrook’s rock guitar stylings, while their country credibility comes straight from lives spent on those wild Alberta prairies.

From party anthems to moving ballads, The Prairie Dogz aim to not only entertain but also challenge themselves – and each other – to express themselves the best they can.
“We are constantly pushing each other to share our deepest thoughts, fears, joys and sorrows in our lyrics,” according to the band. “We talk about it all the time and dare each other to take more risks.”

With “Almost See the Sun,” they invite listeners to stand with them as they battle the darkness and look toward the light.

Warner Bros. Discovery Unveils Max Streaming Service

Eric Alper
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Warner Bros. Discovery Unveils Max Streaming Service

Warner Bros. Discovery today introduced Max, its enhanced streaming service, which will launch in the U.S. on May 23. Max is the destination for HBO Originals, Warner Bros. films, Max Originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an expansive offering of kids content, and best-in-class programing across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands like HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more. Max will stand out amongst streamers by uniquely combining unrivaled breadth and superior quality with iconic franchises and strong product experience, all for great value.

The event included a sneak peek at the launch campaign for Max, which kicks off tomorrow and celebrates the different moods, fandoms and genres that represent Max viewers. The campaign will invite new subscribers to experience Max’s improved product experience and expanded content for everyone in the household.

Max will offer three pricing options, giving subscribers the choice to select which plan best fits the needs of their household.

  • Max Ad-Lite | $9.99/month or $99.99/year
    2 concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
  • Max Ad Free | $15.99/month or $149.99/year
    2 concurrent streams, 1080 resolution, 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
  • Max Ultimate Ad Free | $19.99/month or $199.99/year
    4 concurrent streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality

Existing HBO Max subscribers will have access to Max at the same price as their HBO Max subscription and can visit http://help.hbomax.com/introducingMax to find out more. Additionally, HBO Max subscribers will still have access to their current plan features for a minimum of six months following launch. HBO Max subscribers’ profiles, settings, watch history, “Continue Watching,” and “My List” items will also migrate to Max so they can pick up streaming right where they left off.

TIME Reveals the 2023 TIME100 List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World

Eric Alper
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TIME Reveals the 2023 TIME100 List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World

Today, TIME reveals the 2023 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The issue has 4 worldwide covers, each highlighting a member of the TIME100: actor Jennifer Coolidge, recording artist Doja Cat, CEO of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, and actor Michael B. Jordan.

To celebrate the 2023 TIME100 list of the World’s Most Influential People, TIME will host the annual TIME100 Summit Featuring TIME CO2 on April 25 and the TIME100 Gala on April 26.

For the fourth year in a row, TIME Studios and ABC will present a “TIME100” primetime television special, and for the second year in a row, the television special will bring viewers inside the 17th annual TIME100 Gala, airing Sunday, April 30 (7:00-8:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC, which will be available to stream on Hulu and Disney+. The gala will be hosted by Jennifer Coolidge, and feature performances by Doja Cat and Lea Michele, as well as honorary tributes from members of this year’s list, remarks from TIME CEO Jessica Sibley, and more.

The third annual TIME100 Summit Featuring TIME CO2 will convene leaders from the global TIME100 community to spotlight solutions and encourage action toward a better world. Speakers for the day-long event include: filmmaker, Steven Spielberg, Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House, Nancy Pelosi, President and CEO, GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis, Founder and President, Dolores Huerta Foundation, Dolores Huerta, and more. Visit Time100summit.com for program and speaker updates.

This year’s TIME100 list includes surprising pairings of the list members and the guest contributors TIME selects to write about them. The twentieth annual list features: Mia Farrow on Jennifer Coolidge, Mary Barra on Bob Iger, Mila Kunis on Zoe Saldaña, Amy Poehler on Aubrey Plaza, Hillary Rodham Clinton on Oleksandra Matviichuk, Tina Turner on Angela Bassett, Sue Bird on Brittney Griner, Yo-Yo Ma on Laurene Powell Jobs, Jimmy Fallon on Drew Barrymore, Emma Stone on Nathan Fielder, Bill Frist on Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi on Hakeem Jeffries, and more.

The 2023 TIME100 features 16 climate leaders, a record number for the list, including Anthony Albanese, Gustavo Petro, Catherine Coleman Flowers, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Robin Zeng and more.

Entertainers on this year’s list include: Jennifer Coolidge, Michael B. Jordan, Austin Butler, Zoe Saldaña, Angela Bassett, Aubrey Plaza, Colin Farrell, Drew Barrymore, Jerrod Carmichael, Ali Wong, Salma Hayek Pinault, Nathan Fielder and more.

Athletes on this year’s list include: Patrick Mahomes II, Lionel Messi, Brittney Griner, Iga Swiatek, Kylian Mbappé and Mikaela Shiffrin.

Journalists on this year’s list include: Evan Gershkovich, Elaheh Mohammadi, Niloofar Hamedi, Imara Jones and more.

This year’s list features 50 women, including Jennifer Coolidge, Beyoncé, Laurene Powell Jobs, Karen Lynch, Doja Cat, Lea Michele, Kate Orff, Colleen Hoover, Brittney Griner, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Cindy McCain, Sarah Kate Ellis, Angela Bassett, Bella Hadid and others.

The list features U.S. President Joe Biden, and other U.S. political figures including Hakeem Jeffries, Mitch McConnell, Janet Yellen, Samuel Alito and more.

Other notable writers include Nicole Kidman, Justin Trudeau, Tina Turner, Penelope Cruz, Tom Hiddleston, Mila Kunis, Taika Waititi, Jamie Lee Curtis, Venus Williams, Tiffany Haddish, Sue Bird, Yo-Yo Ma, Peyton Manning, Cate Blanchett and more.

Joe Biden is on the list for the 6th time, more than any other person on the list this year. Other repeats include: Elon Musk (5), Janet Yellen (4), Lionel Messi (3), Beyoncé (3), Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (3), Mitch McConnell (3) and more.

Iga Swiatek, 21 years old, is the youngest person on this year’s list. The oldest person on this year’s list is Judy Blume,  who is 85 years old.

Kenny Rogers Shares Wisdom On Life, Love, Family, And Loss On New 10-Song Collection “Life Is Like A Song”

Eric Alper
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Kenny Rogers Shares Wisdom On Life, Love, Family, And Loss On New 10-Song Collection “Life Is Like A Song”

Life Is Like A Song, a stunning and emotional new song cycle, featuring previously unreleased gems and coveted rarities performed by the legendary Kenny Rogers, telling the story of the love, life, loss, and faith between Rogers and his family, will be released June 2nd via UMe. The collection, comprising songs from Rogers’ archives that were deeply personal to him, will be available on CD and vinyl as well as digitally. The project marks the first new non-Christmas studio album by Rogers in 10 years and the only non-compilation/non-reissued full-length album to be released on vinyl since 1991.

Curated and executive produced by the late Country Music Hall of Famer’s widow, Wanda Rogers, Life Is Like A Song features eight never-before-heard recordings, spanning 2008-2011, and showcases Rogers’ range through an array of original material and covers, including interpretations of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” and Lionel Richie’s “Goodbye,” as well as the artist’s long-sought-after duet with Dolly Parton, “Tell Me That You Love Me.” A digital deluxe edition includes two bonus tracks: a cover of the Mack Gordon/Henry Warren standard, “At Last” (made famous by Etta James), and the Buddy Hyatt-penned original, “Say Hello to Heaven.”

Pre-order Life Is Like A Song here: https://kennyrogers.lnk.to/LifeIsLikeASongPR

“I think the record is fabulous, and it is going to make Kenny so proud,” said Wanda Rogers. “These songs are such a beautiful reminder of his love ‘for the feelings a song can make’ for a person. He would often say that he wanted his songs to be ‘what every man wants to say, and every woman wants to hear.’ I think there are a lot of those moments on this album. This is a very special record to me and our family because it really tells the story of our life together, and I feel his fans will also relate to it in a big way because it walks the listener through the seasons of life that we all experience in one way or another. There is joy, there is love, there is family, there is uncertainty, there is pain, there is faith… it’s emotional and real. This is the kind of music Kenny loved to make.”

Beginning today, fans can stream two selections from the album that showcase the many sides of Rogers’ artistry and the breadth of these recordings. Album opener “Love Is A Drug” is a hard-driving, fist-pumping country rock anthem co-written by Rogers’ longtime musical partner and former New Christy Minstrels bandmate, Kim Carnes. On the other end of the spectrum is the Motown classic, “I Wish It Would Rain,” originally made a hit by The Temptations. Brought to life with new instrumentation by celebrated producer Kyle Lehning and in-demand musician/producer Viktor Krauss, who together oversaw Rogers’ recording, the ballad harkens back to Rogers’ classic soft rock era.

The centerpiece of the album is the unreleased treasure, “Catchin’ Grasshoppers,” a deeply personal ode to Rogers’ twin sons with Wanda Rogers, Justin and Jordan. Written by Laura McCall Torno and Earl Torno, with production work by Rogers and Randy Dorman (a member of Rogers’ band, Bloodline, since the 1970s), the moving tune finds Rogers reveling in the quiet, precious memories made with his young children, now aged 18. Rogers sings, “Years from now I won’t remember this day/I won’t recall the field/But I’ll remember my children’s eyes/Lighting up like stars when they were five/Yes, I’ll remember/Catchin’ grasshoppers.”

Similarly, “Straight Into Love,” a duet with Australian country star Jamie O’Neal, helmed by award-winning producer Brent Maher, a veteran of Rogers’ productions, speaks to cherishing time together with the one you love.

Another duet on the album pairs Rogers with his longtime friend, collaborator, and fellow icon, Dolly Parton. The duo, who began their chart-topping musical partnership with 1983’s “Islands In the Stream,” reunited in the studio in the mid-aughts to record “Tell Me That You Love Me.” Helmed by veteran producer and record exec Tony Brown (George Strait, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire), the song originally appeared on a 2009 compilation. Long out-of-print, a never-before-released, remixed version of the rarity will now be available on digital platforms and vinyl for the very first time, as well as on CD for the first time in this form.

Those sessions with Brown also spawned Rogers’ rendition of “Goodbye,” written by another good friend and frequent collaborator, Lionel Richie. The emotional song, which closes the album, offers fans a particularly poignant ending. The song has long been a fan favorite after first appearing on the same, aforementioned 2009 anthology; following Rogers’ death in 2020 at the age of 81 it became a comforting musical balm. A touching lyric video for the song was played at Rogers’ memorial in 2022. Watch the “Goodbye” lyric video here: https://youtu.be/LkxHxeZEF0I

Rogers also delivers a standout take on Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.” The song features a newly recorded music bed, courtesy of Lehning (whose credits for Rogers span more than 40 years) and Krauss. Backed by an acoustic guitar, Rogers makes this classic ballad his own, while Lehning and Krauss bolster Rogers’ performance with gentle orchestration.

“Am I Too Late,” written by Larry Keith and Jim Hurt, is one of Rogers’ self-proclaimed favorite songs of all time. Originally cut for Rogers’ 1977 hit album, Daytime Friends, the song is reimagined here as a duet with powerhouse vocalist Kim Keyes (Billy Joel, Amy Grant, Peter Cetera). “That’s Love To Me,” penned by Gary Burr and Jim Photoglo, is a beautiful quintessential Kenny Rogers love song. In the cinematic Legrand/Demy/Gimbel composition, “I Will Wait For You,” Rogers’ impassioned vocals shine: “Forevermore, I will wait for you/The clock will tick away the hours, one by one/Then the time will come when all the waiting’s done/The time when you return and find me here and run straight to my waiting arms.”

The tracks on Life Is Like A Song feature production from a whole host of producers and co-producers, including Rogers himself, Tony Brown, Viktor Krauss, Kyle Lehning, and Brent Maher, as well as members of Rogers’ longtime band, Bloodline: Randy Dorman, Steve Glassmeyer (on the deluxe edition), Warren Hartman, and Chuck Jacobs. The album was executive produced by Wanda Rogers, Ken Levitan, and Jason Henke.

Rogers’ six-decade legacy includes more than 120 hit singles and nearly 40 studio albums. One of the best-selling artists of all time with worldwide album sales topping 120 million, Rogers was the consummate crossover star who found vast success across the pop, country, AC, and rock charts. That versatility was evident in the singer, songwriter, and musician’s earliest recordings – from his doo-wop era (The Scholars, Kenneth Rogers) and work with Columbia Records jazz trio The Bobby Doyle Three, to his time as a member of the celebrated folk ensemble The New Christy Minstrels and, starting in 1967, with the eclectic psychedelic rock, country, folk, pop, and R&B band, The First Edition. After nearly a decade of hits with The First Edition, Rogers embarked on a solo career, during which he would soar to global superstardom, thanks to a string of chart-topping hits, including “Lucille” (1977), “The Gambler” (1978), “Lady” (1980), and “Islands in the Stream” with Dolly Parton (1983).

Rogers, who also found success as an actor, entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and photographer, officially retired in 2017. The recipient of the Horatio Alger Award in 1990, Rogers was an active philanthropist, including work with the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center, USA For Africa/”We Are The World,” and Hands Across America. His mighty and enduring influence was celebrated in a final, star-studded concert in Nashville, “All In For The Gambler,” which featured performances and tributes by Parton and Richie, plus Don Henley, Chris Stapleton, Reba McEntire, and Idina Menzel, among many others. During his lifetime, Rogers was honored with multiple GRAMMYS®, CMA, AMA, ACM, People’s Choice, and CMT Music Awards. In 2013, he was among the first recipients of the CMA’s prestigious Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award (second only to its namesake). That same year, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Life Is Like a Song Track List (CD)
1. Love Is A Drug
2. I Wish It Would Rain
3. Am I Too Late (with Kim Keyes)
4. Tell Me That You Love Me (with Dolly Parton)
5. Straight Into Love (with Jamie O’Neal)
6. Wonderful Tonight
7. Catchin’ Grasshoppers
8. That’s Love To Me
9. I Will Wait For You
10. Goodbye

Life Is Like a Song Track List (Vinyl)
Side 1
1. Love Is A Drug
2. I Wish It Would Rain
3. Am I Too Late (with Kim Keyes)
4. Tell Me That You Love Me (with Dolly Parton)
5. Straight Into Love (with Jamie O’Neal)
Side 2
1. Wonderful Tonight
2. Catchin’ Grasshoppers
3. That’s Love To Me
4. I Will Wait For You
5. Goodbye

Life Is Like a Song Track List (Digital Deluxe)
1. Love Is A Drug
2. I Wish It Would Rain
3. Am I Too Late (with Kim Keyes)
4. Tell Me That You Love Me (with Dolly Parton)
5. Straight Into Love (with Jamie O’Neal)
6. Wonderful Tonight
7. Catchin’ Grasshoppers
8. That’s Love To Me
9. I Will Wait For You
10. Goodbye
11. Say Hello To Heaven (Bonus Track)
12. At Last (Bonus Track)

Press Play: Strava Announces First-Of-Its-Kind Integration With Spotify

Eric Alper
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Press Play: Strava Announces First-Of-Its-Kind Integration With Spotify

Strava, the leading subscription platform at the center of connected fitness, announced a new in-app integration with Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, that enables users to seamlessly stream music, podcasts and audiobooks while recording activities on Strava.

Starting today, users can play, pause, resume, skip and browse Spotify favorites from the record screen on Strava. This new integration removes the need for Spotify free and Premium users to switch between apps and allows them to easily tap into the motivation that gets them moving.

Now, Spotify users can listen to their carefully curated workout playlists with some of their favorite tracks and artists. Spotify found “I’m Good (Blue)” by Bebe Rehxa and David Guetta, “INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow)” by Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X and “Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras were some of the top-streamed workout songs globally from the past month.* Plus, with the London marathon around the corner, Calvin Harris, Florence + The Machine and David Guetta are among the most frequently added artists to “London Marathon” user generated playlists.

“Over time, the consumption of music has evolved dramatically from CDs to streaming, which has opened the door for audio to inspire us in ways it couldn’t before,” said Mateo Ortega, Strava’s Vice President of Connected Partnerships. “We’re excited to partner with a global leader like Spotify to seamlessly integrate music and movement on the platform. This new feature further solidifies Strava’s position at the center of connected fitness and continues to demonstrate the power of the global community of active people on Strava.”

Ian Geller, VP of Business Development at Spotify says, “One of our biggest goals at Spotify is to be everywhere our listeners are – whether that’s on a run, in the gym, or anyplace in between. This integration with Strava is another way we’re moving with our listeners and allowing them to seamlessly connect to the music and audio they love.”

Strava is taking over the widely popular “Workout” playlist on Spotify. Listen to Strava-curated sounds to help get you moving starting on April 20th. Follow the “Workout” playlist here.

Live Nation Entertainment and PayPal Sign Multi-Year Deal To Expand Simple and Secure Payments to Fans Buying Tickets Worldwide

Eric Alper
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Live Nation Entertainment and PayPal Sign Multi-Year Deal To Expand Simple and Secure Payments to Fans Buying Tickets Worldwide

PayPal Holdings, Inc. and Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. today announced a multi-year strategic partnership that names PayPal as the Preferred Payments Partner of Ticketmaster, providing fans a simple and flexible way to buy tickets to the live entertainment they love.

As a part of the partnership, fans will be able to pay with PayPal, PayPal Pay Later products, and Venmo* across Ticketmaster’s platform. Additionally, PayPal Braintree will become Ticketmaster’s primary global payment processor, speeding up the checkout process and giving fans direct access to event add-ons like merchandise and parking for purchase.

With PayPal’s payment solutions front and center throughout the checkout experience on Ticketmaster, fans can confidently know they are buying tickets with a simple and trusted payment method supported by Purchase Protection1 and advanced fraud detection technology to help keep their payments safe. Fans will also benefit from the option to use one-time login, where they can choose to save their information for future purchases. They will now have access to multiple payment options across a total of 21 countries, including:

  • PayPal Checkout: Gives fans a trusted, secure way to pay, letting them choose from whatever payment methods they have on file, including credit card, debit card, PayPal balance, bank withdrawal, and more.
  • PayPal Pay Later: Allows fans to pay for purchases evenly over the course of weeks or months in fixed amounts, helping manage their budget while still enjoying their favorite artists and teams.
  • Venmo: Offers Ticketmaster fans in the U.S. the option to split their payments upon purchase in the social app and through Venmo checkout.

“Our goal is to seamlessly connect artists and event organizers with fans wherever they are in the world, and PayPal helps us take that to the next level with a truly global-reaching payments solution,” said Mark Yovich, President, Ticketmaster. “This partnership gives fans continuity and confidence that they have a secure, trusted, and accessible payment method wherever in the world they happen to be attending an event.”

“PayPal’s scale and ability to provide payments options in global markets comes from the company’s experience over several decades and has resulted in a strong reputation among consumers as a trusted payment method2,” said Peggy Alford, EVP of Global Sales, PayPal. “Our data shows that consumers are nearly three times more likely to finish buying a ticket to a live entertainment event when they see PayPal as a checkout option, demonstrating the value the PayPal brand brings to this partnership3. This expanded engagement between PayPal and Ticketmaster will give fans the ability to check out in as little as seconds with flexible payment options they know and trust.”

The partnership also includes an expanded global marketing program to drive broad engagement and fan loyalty through experiences and offers. For major festivals like Bonnaroo, BottleRock, and Lollapalooza, a limited number of fans using PayPal and Venmo will be rewarded with ticket discounts and Cashless credits to help them make the most of the live events they love.

Bruce Cockburn Releases New Single “On A Roll” From New Album ‘O Sun O Moon’

Eric Alper
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Bruce Cockburn Releases New Single “On A Roll” From New Album ‘O Sun O Moon’

“Time takes its toll,” sings the 77-year-old Bruce Cockburn on the opening song, “On A Roll,” his 35th album, O Sun O Moon, out on May 12 via True North Records. “But in my soul / I’m on a roll.”

Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed an illustrious career shaped by politics, spirituality, and musical diversity. His remarkable journey has seen him embrace folk, jazz, rock, and worldbeat styles while earning high praise as a prolific, inspired songwriter and accomplished guitarist. He remains deeply respected for his activism and humanist song lyrics that thread throughout his career. On all his albums Cockburn has deftly captured the joy, pain, fear, and faith of human experience in song.

O Sun O Moon is his first vocal album since 2017’s Bone on Bone. It’s also only the third album Cockburn has released since writing his memoirs (2013’s widely acclaimed Rumours of Glory), after which he felt creatively spent. He doesn’t feel that way now. A lot has happened in the zeitgeist in the last six years, and the renowned singer-songwriter has plenty to talk about. While he addresses political calamity on “Orders,” and climate change on “To Keep the World We Know” (featuring popular Indigenous Canadian artist Susan Aglukark singing in Inuktitut), Cockburn largely focuses on spiritual connections, forgiveness, and love — in ways that perhaps only a performer of his experience can do. Except that Cockburn has always done that, from his 1970 debut onwards.

O Sun O Moon finds Cockburn again working with his close friend Colin Linden as producer, who doubles on guitar, along with Janice Powers on keyboards and Gary Craig on drums, the album features bassist Viktor Krauss, drummer Chris Brown, accordionist Jeff Taylor, violinist Jenny Scheinman and multi-instrumentalist Jim Hoke. Cockburn’s guest vocalists include Shawn Colvin, Buddy Miller as well as mellifluous singers Allison Russell, Sarah Jarosz and Ann and Regina McCrary, daughters of gospel great Rev. Samuel McCrary, one of the founders of the Fairfield Four.

Bruce Cockburn has won 13 JUNO Awards, an induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and has been made an Officer of the Order of Canada, among many other accolades. He has 22 gold and platinum records including a six-times platinum record for his Christmas album. Cockburn continues to tour internationally.

Natalie MacMaster Is An Honourary Award Winner At This Year’s ECMAs

Eric Alper
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Natalie MacMaster Is An Honourary Award Winner At This Year’s ECMAs

The East Coast Music Awards have announced Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster is an honourary award winner for next month’s event in Halifax. She is being recognized for her 40-year career in the industry which has seen her earn a Grammy as well as the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honour for the country and most recently, the Order of Nova Scotia.

MacMaster has worked with artist such as Alison Krauss, Michael McDonald, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana. She is grateful to be recognized with the award and says that “Music, like love, is eternal.”

The ECMAs take place in Halifax from May 3rd-7th.

One of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia’s most important exports and a superstar in the Celtic music world (though she’s far too humble to admit it), fiddler and step-dancer Natalie MacMaster has built a sterling, multi-decade career on electrifying playing and must-see live performances.

Her latest album is Canvas, released on March 17, 2023 and just the third record with her husband, Donnell Leahy and features Rhiannon Giddens (“Woman of the House”), Yo-Yo Ma (“So You Love”) Brian Finnegan (“Colour Theory”)—and, on “Choo Choo,” Donnell and Natalie’s 17-year-old daughter Mary Frances Leahy.

EDM/Pop Producer AZËE Grants Sweet Dreams In “Close Your Eyes”

Eric Alper
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EDM/Pop Producer AZËE Grants Sweet Dreams In “Close Your Eyes”

Everyone wants love that makes them feel secure and happy. Embodying this desire is Montreal producer-songwriter AZËE and his new single “Close Your Eyes”, which features vocals from singer J.O.Y.

The song opens with J.O.Y’s soothing vocals as he asks the listener to not give up and have faith in love as they lay down to rest. J.O.Y.’s vocals are accompanied by encouraging lyrics and an upbeat, dreamy EDM beat that encourages the listener to dance and relax.

“Yea the world is not over yet
Forget all we need for now
If I say I’m going your way
I won’t let you down for now
I know it’s hard just close your eyes
I won’t be gone I’ll stay tonight”

In fact, the song can almost be considered a lullaby hidden in a dance track. J.O.Y’s angelic vocals and AZËE’s psychedelic EDM production makes the song versatile. This song could easily be listened to while studying, winding down for the night, or going out on the town.

Of the song’s inspiration, AZËE states the song was inspired by two of the biggest loves in his life. “I wrote this song while we were at a chalet in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, with my daughter and my girlfriend. They fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie and to be honest the movie wasn’t so good, so I took my laptop and my keyboard and just started to write guitar chords and then everything else started flowing so easily.”

On the surface, the song seems like just another pop song about romantic love. Yet AZËE’s inspiration for it sheds some new light on what your ideal love could look like. After all, romantic love is not the only love and one can also find it with a loyal friend or family member. This, along with the production, adds deeper meaning to the song.

AZËE’s collaboration with J.O.Y. was a no-brainer for him. He explains, “It took me no more than thirty minutes to write the lyrics. When I was done, I sent the song to the amazing singer J.O.Y to sing on it. I must say his energy matched perfectly and did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the words and melody. This song is just my way of showing that love has a powerful hold on all of us.

AZËE’s career began in 2016 when he opened up his first recording studio. By working within the genres hip hop, R&B, and pop, he gradually gained the recognition of Canadian music artists such as Day Vee and Angela.

In 2020 he did a collaboration with one of the top Montreal producers’ Ruffsound, on a song named “Baila”, a reggae electro-pop influenced track. The song reached the Top 100 BDS radio charts in Quebec. In April 2022, AZËE dropped his first single alongside artist DAEVØ called “Me and You”. It earned him a feature on EDM.com, the number one electronic music blog.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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